


Under Cover

by Spideytorch



Category: Fantastic Four, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Bullying, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Johnny is a dick at first, M/M, Peter is a cute fucking cunt the whole time, he changes I promise, kinda not really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2018-04-05
Packaged: 2018-09-08 01:50:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 36,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8825485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spideytorch/pseuds/Spideytorch
Summary: When Johnny Storm is asked to go back to high school and receive a taped confession of a fifteen year old named Peter Parker saying he's Spider-Man, he'll do whatever he can to get that confession. Even if it involves him pulling the biggest dick move in history. (Rewrite) {NEW CHAPTER!!!}





	1. Get Closer

**Author's Note:**

> Hey. So I finally rewrote the first chapter. I actually changed quite a lot and I hope you still continue reading it. The agent in this is nameless because he doesn't really matter to the story. I have changed quite a things to make this work out. It's set after Civil War. Johnny is 17 and Peter is 15. I altered some stuff but ITS FICTIONAL DEAL WITH IT. Hope u like it

They all needed a break. Johnny still didn't know why they just up and left all of a sudden. Maybe it was because of Sue and Reed's constant fighting. Or because Ben was slowly starting to want everyone in New York dead. Either way, Sue told them to pack their bags and then they were on a one way flight to Ireland.

Johnny wasn't too keen on the idea. The place was rainy dark and somehow Sue always found a new attraction to check out for the whole year they were there. Johnny doesn't think he spent at least one day just laying around in bed like he wanted to .

The place sucked.

Wherever they went, people took pictures of Ben and kids poked at his back. Johnny would be lying if he said that the look of sheer terror on those people's faces didn't bring him joy.

No one really knew who they were. They knew about what happened with Victor awhile back. Some people recognized them when they walked into a room.

But it was different when Johnny went off alone. He would go to a small pub or gift shop and no one would glance at him. They just thought he was another tourist. It was nice, if he was being honest. He didn't have to deal with people surrounding him and asking him to, "Flame on!"

Johnny remembered when it had happened. It was all over the news, he heard about people talking about it on the street.

He told Sue that they could use their help. The FF needed to return to New York and help those two sort things out.

"This is between Stark and Rogers, Johnny. It's strictly an Avengers thing. It's not our business."

He huffed out a breath and locked himself into his room.

He kept up to date with everything that was going on.

Then there was that video.

It was on YouTube and it already had 10 million views.

It was at an airport. He saw Cap and Iron Man. There was Clint and Natasha. Everyone was there except Thor, who returned home, and Bruce, who was still untraceable.

And then there was someone in the video he didn't recognize.

The suit was a bit much. Definitely the most noticeable one out of the bunch. He was fighting and swinging around, almost like he was a part of the team. But surely it would have been big news if there was a new avenger?

Johnny took note that the man was on Tony's side. Probably an old friend he recruited. He would have to ask him about it when they returned home.

After he watched the clip, he did some researching. Johnny had to know if there was a new hero in the city.

He found several more videos. It was definitely the same guy, just an older suit. The videos were very low quality compared to the airport clip, but he could tell that it was the same man.

A week after the incident , Susan said it was time to return to the Baxter building.

Johnny was packed before she finished her sentence.

They headed back the next day. Johnny was overly excited to catch up with everyone and finally sleep in his own bed.

But of course, the world hates Johnny. For some reason the world didn't care about world hunger or global warming. Its main priority was to make sure that Johnny didn't get any free time.

He was about to fall into his bed and get a good nights sleep when Sue had knocked on his door and told him that an agent from S.H.I.E.L.D was in their living room to talk to the four. Johnny grumbled and told her to go away. As soon as he turned on his side there was a man's voice telling him to get up or he would be forcibly removed.

Johnny rolled his eyes and tore himself away from the comforting bedsheets.

When he walked out into the main room, Ben and Reed were sitting on opposite sides of the same couch.

He could tell that they both didn't want to be here either. They were relieved to be home and now they had to deal with some agent.

Johnny didn't recognize him. The only thing he focused on was the fact that the agent hadn't taken his eyes off of him since Johnny walked into the room.

He didn't bother sitting down. He crossed his arms, quirked an eyebrow, and gestured for the agent to start speaking.

He still didn't say anything. He simply handed him a tan folder and watched as Johnny opened it and took a first look at the contents inside.

There was a picture of a boy. He was about Johnny's age, maybe even younger. It was a blurry picture. The boy had brown hair and was wearing a worn t-shirt that had "The Big Apple" written across the chest with a cartoon Apple right below the letters.

He looked up at the agent. He simply nodded his heard toward the file.

Johnny sighed and shook his head before he lifted up the picture and found that it was another picture of the boy. He was running in this one and Johnny couldn't see his face.

And then he lifted up that one. And the next, and the next. Every single one of them were low quality pictures of this kid either running or looking over his shoulder.

"Who is this?" Johnny closed the file and handed it back to the man.

"Spider-Man."

Johnny paused. He looked around at the rest of his family and they seem just as confused as he was.

He barked out a laugh, earning an angry look from his sister.

"Spider-Man? You've got to be kidding me." Johnny said.

The agent shook his head and placed the file on the coffee table. He folded his hands in his lap before he began talking again.

"Yes. At least, we think he is. Peter Parker. He's fifteen years old and goes to Mid-Town High School. We've been chasing him for months and we need your help."

"My help? Why? Can't you just take this kid in for questioning? And besides, wouldn't Stark know if this kid is Spider-Man or not?"

"Mr. Stark," He sighed, "Has refused to talk to us about the situation. And my instructor has told us that we can't bring the kid in unless we catch him on tape in the action of get a recorded confession. That's why I'm here."

"So what am I supposed to do? Find this kid? Ask if he's the web slinger and get it on my iPhone? Don't think it'll be that easy."

"You're youngest hero we've got. The second youngest if this Parker kid is actually Spider-Man. Our plan is to send you back to high school. Tell people Sue wanted you to finish your freshman year. You can befriend the kid and then m-"

"No way!" Johnny squeaked. Ben laughed, causing the floor to vibrate under Johnny's feet.

"There is no way I'm going back to school. That shit sucked! Homework and getting up at 6AM every morning is not something I'm interested in doing. You'll have to find someone else t-"

"You'll get paid."

Johnny chewed on his bottom lip. They had money. How else would they be able to afford everything they had? Johnny made money racing cars and selling signed tissues. But the thing was that Sue had always put it away somewhere. She said he would need it one day and he didn't know what for. It wasn't for college. Johnny would never step foot on a college campus. Unless there was a sorority or keg party.

So Johnny looked over at Susan and Reed. He couldn't read their faces and Ben looked disinterested.

"Alright. When do I start?" Johnny asked.

"Monday. You don't have to do anything. Just be at Mid-Town high at 8:30. Room 207. You'll get your class schedule there. If you can't get a confession out of him, no money."

Johnny nodded and reached out a hand. The two shook hands and the agent handed him the file once again.

"Look it over again if you want." He bid the rest of the four goodbyes and then walked toward the elevator. He pressed the button to the main floor and waited for the doors to slide open in front of him.

He turned around and looked at Johnny. "Don't disappoint us."

He smiled and saluted the agent before turning to look at his sister.

"You can't take the money I get."


	2. Time to Pretend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated. I've been so busy with exams and the holidays but I finally finished the second chapter. TBH, this fanfic is nothing like what the first draft was like so sorry if you liked that version. I kinda don't like this chapter but hopefully the next one is better.

Monday came around quicker than Johnny expected.

He hated to admit it, but the whole idea of going back to school made him anxious.

He doesn't know why. He was sure that he wouldn't have any real work to do. Everyone would love him. He's the Human Torch for god sake. Johnny Storm. Loved by all. Right?

Now that Johnny thinks about it, the four has been gone for a long time. Over a year. Did the fans still feel the same? How'd New York feel when the four just upright abandoned them? Maybe they didn't care. After all, the four was usually just for space threats. The people still had Tony Stark and Steve Rogers.. But then again, how did they feel about them now? Was Cap even in New York ? Johnny had so many questions. He would have to ask around.

And it wasn't just about going back to school. He had time to think about the whole "mission" as soon as the agent left the Baxter building.

How long would it take for Johnny to gain this boy's trust? It's not like Johnny would introduce himself and then Peter would blurt out his deepest darkest secret during their first handshake.   
  
Johnny just hoped it wouldn't last a whole semester. He would try to move as fast as possible. He wanted his money.

He didn't really have a plan when he got to Midtown High. He assumed he would be sharing a few classes with the Parker kid. Maybe he would just say hi to him. Nothing too major. He didn't want to make the boy suspicious.

He walked out into the kitchen. Sue was scrapping scrambled eggs off a pan onto a plate that sat in front of Reed and Ben was sitting across from him two cooking pans full of bacon in each hand. The aroma of breakfast foods caused Johnny's stomach to grumble.

When Sue's eyes landed on him her mouth split into a wide grin.

"Look at my brother, the freshman." She was beaming.

Johnny rolled his eyes and walked over to the stove, plucking a piece of bacon from a pan and dropping it into his mouth.

"Freshmen year is hard, flamebrain. Need any advice?" Ben rumbled.

"Oh bite me." Johnny hissed. Ben pounded his first on the table and howled with laughter. Maybe getting away from him eight hours a day would do him so good.

Sue shook her head at the two and turned her back to them.

"Don't be cruel to the boy, ok? I hate the idea of this whole thing already, don't make it worse."

"What are you talking about?" Johnny raised an eyebrow. He adjusted the strap of the grey backpack that he bought at some store downtown, suddenly feeling nostalgic.

"You're tricking this boy. Deceiving him. He's fifteen, Johnny. I just feel bad for him that's all." She shrugged her shoulders.

Johnny had already thought about all of that. He know it sounded evil, but what should he care? He didn't know the guy. And beside, if he was that important to that agent, then he must not be all that innocent. They wanted Spider-Man's identity for something. Johnny didn't really care what it was. If he asked, he doubted the agent would tell him anything about the situation.

He decided not to respond to her. Overall, she was right and it pissed him off. Sue was always right.

"Well, I'll be back later." Johnny said.

"Don't bother calling when you get shoved in a locker, squirt." Ben called after him.

Johnny pressed his eyebrows together in annoyance. He made sure he slammed the door shut extra loud behind him.

****   
When he arrived at Mid-Town High, there were so many kids swarming around that he figured he could get to his first period without anyone noticing.

He was wrong.

Some short kid was staring at him for a few seconds. Johnny even saw the moment when the kid figured out the guy he was looking at was in fact _the_ Johnny Storm.

Johnny brought a finger up to his lips, hoping that maybe the kid would get the memo and keep quiet about it.

"Hey!! It's the Human Torch!!" He shrieked as he pointed toward Johnny.

It had been a year since Johnny last had to fight off people who wanted autographs and pictures. It was still as annoying as ever.

Boys and girls (especially girls) were tugging at the sleeve of his shirt and screaming into his face to flame on at least once.

Eventually, what Johnny thought to be the principal, jogged over and announced that everyone needed to get to class immediately or the students would receive detention.

As the principal scolded the teenagers, Johnny looked over his balding head and noticed someone.

Particularly because they were the only person in sight who wasn't in shock that a member from the FF was at their high school.

He walked by the whole scene in a split second. Johnny didn't get that great of a view of the kid but as soon as his eyes landed on him he knew that it was the Parker boy.

He seemed to be rushing to class, completely oblivious to his surroundings. He had on a blue sweater (from what Johnny could tell) and earbuds in. Johnny squinted at the boy when he realized that most of the students had disbanded.

"So sorry about that, Mr. Storm. The staff and I will try and make your experience here as normal as possible." The principle patted him on the back.

Johnny murmured a thank you.

"Your schedule should be with your first hour teacher. Room 136. Would you like help finding the room?"

"No, I think I'll be able to find it."

The principle then proceeded to tell Johnny if there was anything he needed, all he would have to do is walk down to the office. He ranted on for almost two more minutes until Johnny told the man he would be late for class.

It didn't take him too long to find the classroom. He definitely would have found it a lot quicker if he took the principal up on his offer. But the last thing he wanted to do. He just needed some space. Even for a few minutes.

He arrived to class seconds before the bell rang. He figured he was okay.

Johnny searched around the classroom to see if he would spot the brunet with the blue sweater.

He wasn't here.

Okay, that was fine. They probably only had a few classes together anyway.

He wondered if he could change that. This whole Peter Parker mission would be over with a lot quicker if Johnny had him in eyesight every second.

The teacher was nice. She introduced him to the class, even though every student knew exactly who the new student was. When he turned around to get his schedule he could feel twenty pairs of eyes burning a hole into the back of his shirt. If it was going to be like this all the time, he doesn't know how long he'd last.

Especially since he was a seventeen year old surrounded by fifteen year old freshmen.

The same kid who pointed him out in the hallway shouted out and asked why he was a freshman. He told the story. Never finished school. True. Didn't really have a proper high school education. True. His sister sue insisted that he finish school and get his diploma. Not so true.

A few 'fangirls' interrogated him on the stupidest things for what felt like forever when the teacher gestured toward an empty desk in the back and shushed the classroom.

He flashed her a smile and proceeded to walk to his new desk.

Class started after he sat down. The teacher knew none of her students were paying attention but it didn't seem like she cared. She continued to summarize a book that the class had been reading in depth and then proceeded to write down a few key points in messy cursive on a blackboard and- a blackboard? Johnny could snort. He didn't think classrooms had those anymore, considering the crazy technology that was constantly coming out every day.

She was in the middle of explaining why the antagonist wasn't that bad at heart when the door swung open and in came the Parker boy. Johnny straightened up.

"Finally joining us?" She asked, annoyance clear in her voice.

"I'm so sorry. I was- it was- my locker wouldn't-" he seemed flustered. It was obvious he was lying, trying to make up some stupid last minute excuse that wasn't coming together very well.

His hair was ruffled and he looked distraught. The blue sweater he was wearing was rumpled and if Johnny was being honest- the kid looked like shit.

This was the first time Johnny heard his voice. God- he sounded younger than he was. Johnny could see that getting annoying.

"Enough excuses. If this happens again, detention. Got it?"

Peter quickly nodded, about to go back to his seat when the teacher held up her finger.

"Lucky you're here actually. You'll be showing the new student around. Help them find their classes."

Peter scrunched up his face.

"New student?" Peter asked. He searched the classroom and his face softened.

"Oh I- oh! Hey that's-" He turned to look at his teacher. Her arms were crossed.

"We know who it is, idiot. Sit down." Someone shouted. Johnny heard a few scattered giggles around the room.

Peter quickly sat down at the first desk he saw which was, coincidentally, the one next to Johnny's in the back row.

He sat down his worn backpack on the floor next to his seat and quickly turned to look at Johnny.

"Do you mind if I--?" Peter gestured toward Johnny's schedule. He shrugged and tossed it into his desk.

He seemed to eye it over once before nodding and sliding it back onto his desk,"We have all the same classes."

He wasn't surprised in the slightest. He figured that the agent did this. It wasn't some act of fate. Good. Made his job easier.

He guessed it was time to get this show on the road. Befriend the kid, that was the plan. So far he was being distant and they've only been in each other's presence for less than a minute.

Okay, he could do this. Johnny was good at acting. He thought so anyway.

"So? P-" He almost slipped. Be oblivious.

So maybe he wasn't so good at stuff like this. He needed to pay attention more. No one had said his name, so he wasn't supposed to know it either.

"Your name?" He corrected himself.

"Peter. Parker."

"Cool," He swallowed,"I'm- well, I think you know who I am, right?"

Peter quickly nodded,"Ya. Johnny Storm. Human Torch. You can like, become fire and-"

The boy proceeded to gesture toward him and demonstrate an explosion with his hands. Johnny figured that was supposed to be a flame.

He dropped his hands by his sides and snapped his mouth shut. Peter cleared his throat before nodding once more.

"Ya I know you." The boy swallowed and it didn't seem like he couldn't stop nodding. He almost looked nervous.

He couldn't have that. The kid had to feel comfortable around him, be himself.

Johnny opened his mouth to say something to the other boy when the teacher's monotonous voice echoed through the classroom, starting off the lesson once again.

His goal was to at least get the kid to feel comfortable around him. At least by the end of the week.

He looked over at the fifteen year old, who was tapping his pen against the paper and tugging at his bottom lip.

Eventually the younger boy noticed Johnny's gaze and turned to look at him. Again, he looked nervous. He figured it was because he was in the fantastic four.

Johnny took the chance and flashed the boy his award winning grin, the one that makes girls swoon and pass out right on the spot.

Peter flushed and his eyes widened. He didn't bother smiling back. He immediately looked down at his notebook, which had no writing in it whatsoever.

Johnny huffed quietly. At the front of the classroom, the teacher was still going on about some book he had never heard of.

Once more, he glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

He figured this whole thing would be harder than he expected.


	3. Out Of My Head

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I tried to make this chapter a bit longer than the first two. Someone pointed out that I changed tenses a lot in the past chapter and I apologize. Sometimes I don't realize I do it. I'll try to watch out for them next time.

Peter hadn't expected anything different that day.

Nothing really happened at his high school. And certainly nothing happened to Peter Parker.

It was the same routine every single day. He would go to all his classes. Suffer through some of the boring lessons with the occasional snicker or whispered comment aimed his way from his peers.

He'd have lunch with Ned and mainly talk about Liz Allen and her friends. Then more classes. Then he would head home and finish his homework. Normal stuff.

Oh, and after homework he would slip on his mask and go swing around the city, stopping purse snatchers and bank robbers in the process.

Just teenager stuff.

When he walked into school, he traded out some books at his locker as quickly as he could. If he was late for first period again he wouldn't be surprised if he was finally given detention.

But of course, right when he closed his locker, that thing in his mind was triggered. It itched and always annoyed the shit out of him. He wished he could at least tune it down a bit.

He called it his Spidey sense.

So he ran past a huge group gathering in the hallway and somehow managed to sneak out of the school, get downtown, and web two bank robbers to the front of a police station in less than ten minutes.

First of all, the school really need to keep a closer eye on their students, and second of all, he was going to be late for class again. For the seventh time.

When he rushed into his English class, he knew he looked like he got swooped up into a tornado.

Everyone was staring at him with judgmental eyes. Including his English teacher. She didn't really care for him but Peter didn't mind. It didn't effect his grade. She's probably like him a lot better if he showed up on time.

She warned him about the possibility of detention, something he's heard a million times before, and then turned to go to his seat.

"Lucky you're here actually," Peter turned and looked at her, "You'll be showing the new student around. Help them find their classes."

"New student?" He asked.

Peter scanned over all the familiar faces. Flash, who no doubt was going to harass him the whole class period, a few girls who hated him because he glanced at them once, and more faces that he barley recognized but knew he saw once or twice.

In the very back, a blond boy he had never seen before was slumped down into his chair.

His eyes widened and fuck- that was Johnny Storm. The Human Torch. He worked with Ben Grimm and Susan Storm and the genius Reed Richards! Peter had yet to meet them yet. He knew the Avengers were a bigger deal in New York, but he ached to meet the team he had heard so much about.

They were still a team anyway. Peter had no idea what was going on with the avengers. Were they still a thing? He asked Tony about it once or twice but it seemed like a dodgy subject. He didn't want to piss off the man or anything, especially since he had the ability to take away Peter's new and improved suit.

So here he was, a step closer to meeting the whole Fantastic Four team. But why did it have to be Johnny Storm? And why did he have to be going to his high school? Couldn't he of met Reed Richards on the streets in downtown New York? He had so many questions to ask him and they were yet to be answered.

But no, this was fine. It's not like Peter idolized that team, especially the member who was closest to his age.

It's not like when he first became Spider-Man he researched every single superhero and stumbled across Jonathan Spencer Storm and read every single interview and scrolled through endless pictures of the boy taken by the paparazzi.

It totally wasn't like that.

He just wanted to do research. He had to be a better superhero, right? That's what Tony had told him. He was just trying to observe the second to youngest hero in New York.

Johnny looked up at him for a second before staring down at the old scratched up desk that he sat at.

And because Peter was a complete idiot he decided to point out to his teacher that - yes, Johnny Storm was sitting in their classroom. It's not like anyone else knew him. He felt like slapping himself in the face. What else was new?

"We know who it is, Idiot. Sit down." Peter shot Flash a glare. All Flash did was smile at him and gesture toward the desks at the very back. He heard people snicker as he headed toward the only desk that was open- which was the one right next to Johnny's.

Fuck.

Once he sat down he quickly turned to look at Johnny. He couldn't open his mouth at first.

"Do you mind if I-?" He asked, pointing toward the only sheet that sat out in front of the other boy.

He simply shrugged and tossed the paper onto Peter's desk.

Peter looked over it for a few seconds. No. This couldn't be right. This was Peter's exact schedule. Did that mean-?

Johnny shared every. single. class. with him.

This day couldn't of been worse.

Yes, this morning he was this close to suffering a broken arm. He was this close to having the police put handcuffs on him and take him away. But nothing was worse than this.

Again, he looked over the schedule again, making sure he didn't make some silly mistake.

"We have all the same classes." He said, trying his best to sound indifferent about the whole thing.

Peter stared back at the front of the class.

Flash was whispering to someone behind him, shooting Peter glares every now and then. He shared a few classes with him too.

This meant that Johnny would get to see Flash Thompson humiliate him about four times a day. He'd have a front row seat to the 'Humiliate Parker Show'. Peter felt like jumping out a window.

Peter hoped that he would lay off the locker slamming and poor remarks now that they had a superhero at their school. That was more interesting than some dorky kid who wore shirts that had science puns on them.

He looked down and was relieved when he realized he wasn't wearing his "The Physics Is Theoretical But The Fun Is Real" T-Shirt.

"So-" Johnny blurted. Peter turned to look at him.

"Your name?" He asked.

"Peter. Parker."

"Cool," Johnny paused,"I'm- well, I think you know who I am, right?"

Of course Peter knew who he was. Johnny was, though he never would admit to anyone, his celebrity crush.

Aunt May laughed at him when he turned up the volume on the tv when he saw that the fantastic four was back in town. He watched as a few people with microphones tried to ask Johnny and the others a few questions. Johnny covered his face with his hands and ran inside the Baxter building.

No one knew about his little crush. The only person he could tell was Ned, given that Ned was his only friend. But he knew that Ned would make jokes constantly about it. Especially since Johnny was now attending their school.

Peter quickly nodded, "Ya. Johnny Storm. Human Torch. You can like, become fire and-"

He then pointed toward Johnny and made an explosion with his hands. He made an awkward sound affect before coughing and then dropping his hands by his sides.

"Ya I know you."

He felt almost like a robot. He kept nodding and couldn't stop. He knew he looked nervous. He didn't need a mirror to know he was red in the face. Hopefully Johnny didn't notice.

Peter directed his attention to his teacher, who was shooting the two boys annoyed glares every now and then. Out of nervousness, his leg started bouncing underneath his desk and he tugged on his bottom lip.

A thousand thoughts were racing through his mind. He wondered if he could pay Flash to stop bothering him. That would be an all time low, even for Peter. Although, he was making money now that he was selling those pictures to the bugle.

Peter turned to look at the boy again to see that Johnny was already looking back at him.

And then Johnny smiled at him. A wide smile with his stupid perfect teeth and not even cute dimples.

Peter felt a blush spread across his face. He bowed his head and looked down at his notebook paper. He didn't even take notes. His face still felt hot.

He was screwed.

****

Once class was over, Peter was reminded that he would have to walk to and from class with Johnny all day.

Next class was P.E, which he shared with Flash.

On the way to the locker rooms, it didn't even seem like Johnny needed Peter's assistance. More than 30 girls were swarming around the boy, offering to show him where the room was and to introduce him to their coach.

"Are you going to play football, Johnny?!"

"Do you need someone to sit by at lunch, Johnny?!"

"Here's my phone number!"

Peter could gag.

No, he wasn't _jealous_. That was totally out of the question. Besides, Johnny didn't even look remotely interested in them.

He glanced over at him. Peter worried his bottom lip before deciding to walk the rest of the way to the locker room by himself.

He was halfway changed in the locker room when Johnny came in, big jocks on each side of him.

Peter couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but he caught the words "team" and "join" and "football."

Johnny gave them a short response before he started walking Peter's way and no- not here, not in front of everybody. Not in front of flash and his Neanderthals for friends.

"Peter, where'd you go? You didn't think I wouldn't realize you disappearing on me." He slapped his hand on Peter's back, causing him to jolt forward slightly.

"You seemed a bit busy." He replied through gritted teeth.

"Hey, what's Johnny doing talking to Puny Parker?" Flash shouted. Everyone turned to look at the two. This was what he was worried about.

With Johnny trailing behind Peter wherever he went, attention would be drawn to Peter too, and not the good kind.

But at least it was only for one day. And it didn't even seen like Johnny needed his help. There were plenty of girls who were willing to help him.

"Puny Parker?" Johnny asked him, mouth splitting into a wide grin.

"That's his nickname. Isn't that right Parker?" Flash chuckled.

Peter slammed his locker shut and walked out, face hot from embarrassment. He heard flash and some of his friends make at least ten idiotic jokes before he was out of the room.

Any other day he would've taken it. He never said anything back to flash, not wanting to make a small situation into something big. But in front of his idol? He could've died on the spot.

But Johnny just stood there. Didn't say anything. Peter didn't really expect him to do anything, but for him to just stand there and smile? What gave him the right?

Maybe the human torch wasn't as charming and nice as Peter thought he was. He was about to start to overthink everything when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned around and was relieved when he saw that it was just Ned.

"Ready for the hell that is Physical education?" Ned asked, raising his eyebrow.

Peter chuckled,"It's not that bad. Sometimes it's kinda fun."

"Which part is fun, the part where the cheerleaders whisper about us, or the part where Flash hits us with his football and claims it was an accident? Even though he's been having the same accident since we were in seventh grade."

"Both." Peter replied. Ned scowled.

Fifteen minutes into the class, Peter was already shooting death glares at Johnny and his 20 newly found friends. He doesn't know why he was so pissed off.

He came to realize that underneath that crush he envied Johnny. The seventeen year old had everything and part of Peter hated him for it.

He had money and friends. Girls were at his side wherever he went. He raced cars before they left for that one year trip in Ireland and he took up interview after interview. He was a teenage male model, posing and having his picture taken for all the popular magazines. Everyone thought he was beautiful, didn't matter if you were the manliest straight man alive. You couldn't look at Johnny Storm and deny that he was attractive. It wasn't possible.

And what did Peter have? Raggedy old clothes that got torn when he went dumpster diving. He had his aunt hiding unpaid bills from him in the spices cupboard. He had girls laughing at him and feeling "violated" whenever Peter did so much as look their way.

It wasn't fair.

Peter didn't really know how to feel about Johnny. Of course he couldn't deny the huge crush he had on him, but he also couldn't deny that looking at him being surrounded by everyone and being loved made Peter want to rip his perfect fucking face off.

It was a free day. Some of the girls sat on the bleachers and took pictures of Johnny or themselves for their Instagram's and snapchats. The jocks (and Johnny) were throwing around a football and Ned and Peter were sitting in the grass, talking about the algebra exam they had that day.

Peter zoned out. He didn't hear the rest of Ned's speech about how their algebra teacher really shouldn't assign tests on a Monday. His eyes narrowed as Flash laughed and whispered something to Johnny.

Then his Spidey sense was going off. This meant that Flash was about to hurl the football toward him. Peter could easily doge it but he didn't want anyone thinking that Peter Parker could defend himself. Usually flash just hit him in the chest or back of the head. It didn't hurt that bad.

But for some reason, today was out to get him. As Peter pretended he didn't see the football hurling toward him, he heard Johnny say, "Dude what the fuck?!"

Out of curiosity, he turned to look at the boy, and then the football hit him right in the face.

Peter yelped and fell backwards.

He groaned in pain and covered his nose with his hands.

It fucking hurt. He was Spider-Man but he wasn't invincible.

"Hey, you okay?" Peter squinted his eyes open and there Johnny was, hovering above him. He almost looked concerned. Peter swallowed.

Peter pulled his hand away from his nose and saw that his hand was now a crimson red. That wasn't good.

"I-" Was all Peter could say before Johnny's head whipped around to look at Flash, who was laughing and mocking Peter's pained expression.

"The fuck is wrong with you?" Johnny snapped.

Flash's face softened,"W-What?"

"You probably broke his nose! Why even do something stupid like that?" Johnny hissed. Peter was stunned.

"I.. It was funny." Flash responded meekly.

"Who the fuck is laughing besides you?" Johnny asked.

Flash proceeded to turn around and look at his friends, who were all looking at the grass or slowly walking away from the scene.

Johnny huffed and turned back to look at Peter.

"You okay?" He asked again.

Peter sniffed and simply nodded. How were his eyes so blue?

Johnny stood up and reached out to grab Peter's hand. He hauled him off the grass in a quick second.

"Tilt your head back." Johnny told him. Peter obliged.

"You need to see a nurse."

"I'll take him." Ned spoke up. Oh yeah, Ned was here. Peter almost forgot about him entirely.

And before Peter could say anything else to Johnny, Ned was grabbing him by the elbow and leading him back inside the school.

*****

He didn't have a broken nose, thank god. Just a slightly severe nose bleed and a bit of bruising. The nurse plastered a bandage across his nose and sent him on his way.

At lunch, people glanced at Peter and the spongebob bandaid that stood out broadly on his face. He couldn't care less.

Again, he was hopelessly staring across the room at the 'popular table', where now Johnny had a special seat reserved.

His crush had gotten bigger since P. E, if that was even possible. He was even too busy staring at Johnny and observing the way his hands moved when he talked about something exciting that he missed Ned telling him that Liz Allen had just walked by.

"Earth to Peter. Did you just hear me? Liz got a new skirt." Ned whispered.

"Mhm." Peter replied.

"Are-Are you staring at Johnny Storm?" Ned asked.

Peter quickly turned around and laughed,"What?! No! There's a, I was just-"

If there was one thing Peter was bad at, it was lying.

"You were!" Ned exclaimed. He squinted his eyes at him, causing Peter to look down and poke at the dry tater tots that sat on his tray.

"You- you've got to be kidding me."

"What?" Peter asked.

"You like him, don't you?"

Peter's mouth opened in false shock,"What?! No! I- what?! I like Liz, you know that. Ffff- you're talking crazy."

Ned stared at him.

"Usually all you're talking about is Liz. You haven't mentioned her once today." Ned raised his eyebrows.

Ned was right.

Most days 90% of his vocabulary included the words "Liz Allen". He and Ned would discuss what outfit she was wearing that day or how her hair looked. Which Peter had to admit was a bit creepy. But today Peter hadn't even said her name. Shit.

"I-"

Ned snorted," Johnny Storm? Really? I don't get it. Is it cause he's in the fantastic four? Why do you like him?"

What was _not_ to like about him?

Johnny was beautiful, first of all. Way too beautiful for a seventeen year old. He had an award winning smile and soft blond curls that sometimes fell in front of his bright blue eyes. When Peter first saw pictures of him on the internet he figured that the magazine editors edited them to look like that. Today, seeing Johnny up close, his eyes looked almost brighter.

Okay, he was a bit egotistical. And Peter saw why there were some people who thought he was a dick and hated the praise he received. But Johnny was also really sweet, and Peter experienced that first hand today.

He watched about two hundred interviews of Johnny when he first discovered him. He watched everything he did. The way he ruffled his fingers through his hair when he laughed or the toothy grin Johnny gave interviewers when they complimented him.

Peter's face still turned a crimson red when he thought about the disaster of his aunt walking in on Peter staring at the same picture of Johnny modeling Calvin Klein underwear. She joked about it to him at dinner later that night, not making the situation any better.

But it's not like Peter had that website bookmarked. No way.

"I don't know," Peter replied, "I just do."

Ned shrugged and went back to eating the watery mashed potatoes and corn that were mixed together into one meal.

Peter sighed and almost felt like crumbling up his foam lunch tray in his hands when Liz Allen touched his elbow and handed him a piece of notebook paper, her name obviously scribbled onto it.

But for once, he wasn't jealous that Liz Allen was giving a guy her number. He was jealous because Johnny Storm was getting some girl's number.

Fuck.

*****

The whole day, Peter trailed behind the herd that surrounded Johnny wherever he went.

He was pissed but all he would have to do is get through the day and go home. But then suffer the entire thing the next day. And then the next. And then every single day until he and Johnny graduated.

The end of the day finally arrived. He would have to swing around the city, get his mind off things. He doesn't know why having Johnny here effected him so much. It was just a small crush.

Peter opened his locker grabbed his jacket . He pushed his biology and algebra book onto the top shelf when someone tapped on his shoulder. Fuck. He just wanted to go home.

But On the other hand, he didn't want to have to deal with Aunt May badgering him to tell her who did that to his nose. He couldn't exactly walk into their apartment with rings under his eyes and a bruised nose without her asking him about it.

"Leave me alone, Flash." He bit out.

"Hey, no- it's Johnny." Peter froze.

"Oh- um, sorry but I have to get home." He slammed his locker shut and turned around, coming face to face with the other boy.

Up close, Peter saw that Johnny had no flaws. No acne or blemishes. His skin was flawless.

"Just wait-" Johnny said, grabbing Peter's wrist.

Peter looked down at Johnny's hand wrapped around his thin wrist. He looked back up.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I actually really wanted to talk to you today. Thought we could become friends. But all those people kept pushing me along to each class and I didn't have the chance. The first actual chance I had was when that idiot hit you today." Johnny smiled at him. His voice was soft.

"Oh- it's okay. I understand. But I have to go." Johnny let go of Peter's wrist.

Peter gave Johnny an awkward closed mouth smile and walked toward the exit.

Once outside, he placed his hand on his backpack.

He really needed to punch someone in the face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try and update maybe next week. No promises though oops.  
>  Edit: also I really love the comments/feedback


	4. Better Than Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said I'd have a chapter up during the first week of February, but I haven't been writing a lot. Honestly I hate my writing and I'm genuinely surprised people are enjoying this. I'll try to update more but I'm not promising anything. Beetle is introduced in this chapter and I mean he's not really EXACTLY like the comic version but oh well. Hope you like this.

Okay, so the whole "Befriend Peter Parker" thing wasn't going quite like Johnny planned.

First of all, Johnny absolutely despised High School. Everything about it was so fucking cliché. Cheerleaders practicing out on the football field, hipsters sitting under an old oak tree writing poetry.

Johnny hadn't even had much of a chance to talk to Peter that day. Every where he went, girls were running behind him, along side him, even in front of him.

And then somehow he ended up being led away from the girls by some guy named Flash Thompson.

He had blond hair and a sharp chin and around his shoulders was a varsity jacket (Johnny resisted the urge to roll his eyes). The kid was tall and pretty muscular for a fifteen year old. Now Johnny prided himself on being pretty fit, but next to Flash? He looked like a twig.

All the boy talked about that day was about the football team and what the couch was like and when practice was. Johnny knew flash was trying to get him on their team, but he wouldn't budge.

Believe it or not, Johnny wasn't the sports kind of guy. Racing cars? Definitely. Throwing around a football almost every day until the end of the season? He'd rather jump off a building than do that.

Flash, along many other girls, was the one who ended up leading him the locker room. And when he saw his chance, he took it.

Peter was standing by his small P. E locker , his movements quick. He sauntered over to him and said something when someone annoyingly pointed out that Johnny was talking to Parker. More specifically, Puny Parker.

Johnny couldn't help but grin at the nickname. It was a funny nickname, sue him. He thought it was funny and Peter, along with everyone else in they locker room, could tell. The smaller boy ended up slamming his locker shut and dashing out of the room, a few boys yelling at him as he ran.

Then during P. E, he and Flash (and Flash's friends, though Johnny didn't really remember what their names were) were tossing around a football. Flash was in the middle of giving Johnny a speech about why football was the best sport in the world when he spotted Peter sitting in the grass, laughing at something a kid next to him said.

Flash followed his eyes and when he saw Peter he grinned.

"Watch this." Flash chuckled.

Johnny was a dick, he knew that. He's done some stupid shit and has hurt a lot of people just because he didn't take their feelings into consideration. But throwing a football at some kid who wasn't even doing anything? That was an asshole move.

Johnny shrieked out something when the football hit Peter square in the nose, causing him to fall backwards. It looked like it hurt. A lot.

His friend next to him didn't seem to know what to do but oh, here it was. Right now, this was his chance.

He rushed over to Peter with a concerned expression on his face. The kid was okay, obviously. He wasn't really worried about him. Why should he be? But maybe if he looked like he was the kid would think: _Hey, Johnny Storm really isn't the egotistical flame brain all his Ex's say he is. I should be his friend!_

Johnny highly doubted that's how it would work.

Ned ended up leading Peter away to the nurses office.

Flash seemed really embarrassed. All of his friends had left him in the middle of the football field to talk to other people, and Johnny simply shook his head at him and went to speak to the couch.

Johnny's last class had been Algebra. Peter sat in the front row while Johnny was directed by the teacher to sit in the back next to a bunch of gothic kids, who (to Johnny's relief) wasn't interested in the human torch in the slightest.

The day was coming to an end and Johnny hadn't even made any progress. What was he supposed to tell that agent who, by the way, never told Johnny what his name was. Not that it mattered, but still.

When Johnny looked at Peter he had dark circles under his eyes and looked extremely tired. Okay, maybe Johnny did feel a _bit_ bad.

And to top things off for the kid, there was a bright yellow sponge bob bandaid plastered across the bridge of his nose, causing the other kids to snort and whisper remarks to their friends.

Johnny learned a lot about Peter that day. He didn't talk very much. A few times Peter would be scribbling something in his notebook, not listening to what the teacher was saying. Then the teacher would call on Peter to answer a complex question and, to Johnny surprise, Peter would blurt out some equation or formula that was exactly right. The teacher would then huff out a breath and turn back around.

Once the bell rang, Johnny watched as Peter quickly scooped up his backpack and darted out of class. Johnny quickly followed suit.

He quickly brushed off everyone who offered him rides or asked to hang out after school, saying he really needed to help Reed in the lab.

Peter stopped at his locker and readjusted the strap on his shoulder.

Johnny swallowed before he quietly snuck up on he boy.

He debated for a few seconds in his head how he should start the conversation. He finally decided to tap on his shoulder.

"Leave me alone Flash." Peter snapped. His shoulders tensed up and his movement seemed to stop at a halt.

"Hey-no, it's Johnny." Johnny laughed. Peter didn't seem anymore relaxed.

"Oh-Um, sorry but I have to go home." Peter shut his locker and then turned around, his face only a couple of inches away from Johnny's. Maybe even less.

Peter had dark hair and eyes to match. His nose was perfectly dipped and right underneath was a pair of pink lips. He seemed flustered, and dark curls were falling in front of his eyes.

Okay, the kid was attractive. But the question was; why weren't any girls after him? Or even guys?

Not that Johnny was, but if he was gay he would have already asked him out. Well, if he wasn't on this mission he would've asked him. But he wouldn't of. Because he wasn't gay. Johnny bit on his inner cheek and focused on what he was supposed to be doing.

Peter was about to leave when Johnny reached out and grabbed his wrist.

He rushed out an apology and then said that he actually wanted to be friends with the kid. Peter's expression didn't seem to change.

How the fuck was he supposed to read this kid? Johnny wasn't doing good so far and he wanted his money.

When Johnny got home Susan asked, with what Johnny could tell was disappointment in her voice, how it went with Peter.

He said it went fine. Once again she told him that she hated the whole idea, something Johnny would probably be hearing a lot of lately.

Johnny didn't think anyone liked the idea. Ben didn't share his opinion. He made a few jokes but never really said what he thought about it. Neither did Reed. Johnny was pretty sure Reed was too focused in his lab and on his new projects to care.

But even he had to admit that what he was doing was wrong, and even if Reed and Ben had not shared their thoughts on the whole thing, he figured that they were on the same side of Sue. (Though Reed didn't really have a choice when it came to Sue.)

Johnny really hoped that the agent wouldn't stop by anytime soon. He figured that it would take a long time before he made some real progress.

****

And he was right. A week had passed. A whole week of Johnny busting his ass trying with the kid. And oh- he tried his hardest. Every single day, he was an angel. Asked Peter how he was and how his day was, not even receiving a full response from him. He was always flustered and nervous or he had to be somewhere important. What was more important than having Jonathan Storm, member of the Fantastic four, the guy who has been on the cover of Vogue Magazine more than three times, standing right in front of you?

He couldn't take it anymore. He was being nice, more nice than usual. He offered to carry his books for him, told flash to back off if he came even near the two.

But Peter wouldn't budge, wouldn't give Johnny a full sentence answer. All that came out of his mouth was, "I'm okay" and "Sorry, I have to get home" or "I'm busy."

It was on a Thursday when Johnny officially fucked up. Not that he was surprised, or that his family was. Johnny was the champion of fuck ups. It was bond to happen sometime. Johnny just didn't expect it to happen that soon.

But that day he also found out some essential information from some brunette in a short cheerleader skirt. He thanked her, autographed her phone case, and then she ran back to her friends showing them what she had just managed to score.

That day was just like the rest; Johnny was walking beside Peter while a few people trailed behind them. Peter's hair was in a tangled mess in front of his eyes while he hugged two thick textbooks against his chest.

"I could carry those for you." Johnny smiled.

Peter quickly shook his head and blew the hair out of his eyes, "I'm okay."

Not even a thank you. Johnny tried not to sound annoyed.

"Did you want to hang out later or something? I've got nothing else to do and I figured that-"

Peter sighed and turned around, causing Johnny to stop at a halt.

"Johnny I can't, I've got stuff to do and my aunt I-"

That's when something inside Johnny's head just kind of- snapped.

This was bullshit. Every single fucking day was the same with Peter. Stupid excuses and disinterested answers and flushed cheeks. What was wrong with this kid? Okay- a lot of people got nervous around the Human Torch. They should. He was a celebrity. But for this long? It had been a whole week and almost the whole school was over the fact that Johnny was a freshman there.

"What the fuck?!" Johnny snapped. Peter's eyes widened and he took a few steps back.

Everyone went quiet as they watched the scene unfold. Peter was standing there, wide eyed, while Johnny waited him to say anything, he didn't care what. He'd be grateful if Peter started to recite pi or the Declaration of Independence. Anything except "I'm okay".

"I-What?" Peter asked.

"I've been trying my hardest with you. For over a week I've been trying to be your friend and all you do is give me one worded responses or avoid me at every chance you get. I'm fucking sick of it! I'm trying here!"

Peter pressed his eyebrows together. He readjusted the strap of his backpack and then looked up at Johnny, a certain fire in his eyes. Shit.

"Who's asking you to? I never asked for you to be my friend! I was supposed to show you around on the first day, that's it! I have things to do, I'm not some celebrity that can do whatever they want whenever they want! But now- " Peter paused and laughed, "You have proved what I was afraid of the whole time. You're just a prick."

Peter turned on his heel and walked down the hallway , leaving Johnny standing there looking like a complete idiot.

There were whispers all around him. He could hear laughter behind him and he was fuming. Literally. A few gasps filled Johnny's ears as his hair started smoking.

What gave him the right? To yell at him in front of half of the school? So now Peter hated him. The feeling was mutual.

Later that day Johnny was sitting with the cheerleaders and the jocks, something he had tried to avoid but was inevitably pulled into.

He picked at the soggy peas that scattered across his tray with a white plastic fork. People all around him were talking about different things. The guys were discussing the football game next week and how the after party would be and the girls were whispering about who they wanted to hook up with at said party. A few freshmen sat there too, but their main focus was copying each other's algebra homework in under two minutes.

"Move." Johnny looked up to see a black haired girl. She had a small waist and short blue skirt with heels to match. He almost snorted. Why did people try so hard here? She pushed Liz Allen aside and (barley) squeezed in between the two.

"I have to tell you something." She said.

"Who ar-?"

"Not important. I just thought you should know that he-" She pointed a polished fingernail at none other than Peter Parker, who still looked angry about the situation that happened that morning. He was animatedly waving his hands around and seemed to be ranting to his friend, not even stopping to catch a breath.

"Has some pathetic crush on you. Just heard him say it myself."

Johnny's head jerked up.

Peter Parker had a _crush_ on him? Now, he shouldn't be surprised. Almost everyone had a crush on him. He was young and attractive and a superhero. But after what happened in the hallway today? Peter was supposed to hate him now.

"What did he say exactly?" Johnny asked, leaning forward.

"He was complaining about you. Saying you were the hugest dick he ever met and couldn't believe that you had the nerve to say the shit you did in the hall today." Okay, that sounded like something he would hear about himself.

"Then his idiot of a friend asked, 'Does that mean you don't have that obsessive crush on him anymore?' Peter said that he still did but was pretty pissed about it."

Johnny nodded and the girl stood up, straightening out her skirt and smiling.

"You gonna keep quiet about what he said?" Johnny asked.

"Depends."

"Il autograph your phone." Johnny sighed. She nodded excitedly and handed Johnny her phone and a black sharpie marker.

She gently patted him on the shoulder and said, "Watch out."

Johnny squinted and tilted his head to look up at her but she was already walking away. Watch out. What was that supposed to mean?

This was great. Peter had a crush on him. He could use this.

He had a feeling that this mission would be moving along a lot faster

****

It was a week later and he still tried with Peter, though the boy still seemed extremely angry at him.

Johnny threw in a few extra glances Peter's way. When he tried to apologize he rested his hand on Peter's arm, causing the boy to turn a deep shade of red and yank his arm away.

He didn't bother telling Sue or the rest of his family about what he was up to. If he did she would drop him off the top of a building. His sister already hated the idea of him being Peter's fake friend. What would happen if she knew what the next step of the whole Parker Mission was? He'd never see the light of day. The whole "I've never been more disappointed in you" speech would come and Johnny would slump down into his chair and mutter an apology, although he was never actually sorry.

The agent had called him a few nights ago, just to check in. Johnny had lied and said that it was all going great and he'd have the taped confession in no time.

But when Johnny thought more about it, what if this kid wasn't Spider-Man? Did he even have any connection whatsoever to the masked hero? Had they even been spotted remotely near each other?

Johnny had sighed into the phone and asked,"What if he isn't Spider-Man?"

A long pause.

"He is."

"How do you know?"

"We just do."

"If you're so sure why cant you just take him in?"

"Doesn't work that way." Click. The man hung up.

The phone call was beyond sketchy. The agent was sketchy. Everything about the whole situation was sketchy. Did that stop Johnny? No.

So it was a week after he found out that Parker was harboring a crush on him. It was on Thursday and everything was going good. Johnny had managed to trail along side Peter without the boy flipping him off for a good two minutes before everything went to shit. But when did anything go the way Johnny wanted it to? Exactly.

"This is progress though, right?" Johnny asked hopefully, almost jogging to keep up with Peter.

"I-" Peter quickly whipped around and stared down the hallway. A few people shot him death glares but he continued to stand there.

"Peter? You okay?" Johnny was about to grab ahold of his arm when Peter turned around and yelled, "Get down!"

At the moment, when Peter leaped on top of him and pinned him to the ground, he thought the boy was crazy.

He was about to shove him off when a loud explosion echoed through the hallways and the sounds of screams filled their ears.

Peter quickly lifted himself up and almost made a run for it. Johnny jumped up and grabbed the back of Peter's shirt.

"Where are you going?!" Johnny hissed.

"I have to um-"

While Peter was making up some lame excuse , Johnny looked around. Everyone was already gone. At the end of the hallway, a fire was starting, glass was everywhere. Who caused this? When Johnny heard rumbling footsteps (that were almost as loud as Ben's) , Johnny found out hat he didn't really want to know who it was.

"So I- My, the class would-" Peter was still rambling. Johnny raised a finger to his lips and grabbed Peter by the arm, pulling him into what he thought to be a classroom but conveniently turned out to be a small janitors closet. Johnny's life was slowly turning out to be a movie about the struggles of high school and he hated it.

"What the hell are you doing? We have to get out of here!" Peter exclaimed.

"I am going to see what's going on, and you are going to stay right here. I don't need you intervening."

"I have to get out of this school or i'm going to die!! You can't keep me here!"

"You're staying here. You aren't going to die. I'll have the situation under control."

Peter rolled his eyes and laughed. Johnny bit on the inside of his cheek to keep himself from yelling because no one- okay, no one laughed at Johnny Fucking Storm.

"Hey, I've saved more lives than you can count! How dare you laugh at _me_?" Johnny snapped, but he didn't outright yell at the kid. He counted that as an achievement.

"Just because you save lives doesn't give you the right to be a huge dick. And besides when is the last time you have?"

"Have what?" Johnny asked.

Peter crossed his arms, "Saved a life. You've been gone for over a year now. Despite your complaints on your Twitter about how much you hated Ireland, that didn't stop you from crashing Irish weddings and destroying your hotel room on a daily basis."

Shit. Peter won that round.

"That's not the point." Johnny yelped.

"Exactly. The point is that you're trying to keep me hostage in here while people are probably dying out there! I have people I care about who go here! Saving lives is what you are supposed to do, right? Well-" Johnny zoned out after that. That kid could _talk_. And besides, what were they even arguing about in the first place?

While he watched Peter continuously go on about how much of an asshole Johnny was, the perfect idea popped into his head.

An idea that could get his sister to kill him, but also one that would help him get that prize money a lot sooner.

And the next thing he knew he was leaning in. His lips were then brushing against Peter's and he heard him gasp.

Johnny's hand was wrapped around the smaller boy's waist, pulling him closer while he pushed his other hand through Peter's obviously uncombed hair.

It took Peter a few seconds to react to the kiss, but soon enough he was kissing him back, mouth opening under Johnny's.

Now the kiss, overall, wasn't bad. Peter was actually pretty good at it. But it was nothing to Johnny. There wasn't a spark, wasn't any sort of connection. It was just a kiss. Peter's thought process was probably completely different from Johnny's.

And- side note, was it okay for Johnny to kiss this kid? He was fifteen, Johnny was seventeen. He'd have to ask Sue. Or look it up online. Yeah, he'd do that. Asking sue if it was okay to kiss a fifteen year old freshman would raise suspicion.

When Johnny pulled back, Peter's pupils were blown wide and his cheeks were flushed. Fuck. He looked really attractive.

"When are you going to be sixteen?"

"In a month. Wh-"

"Just wondering. Okay, you stay here."

"But I-" Johnny waved him a quick goodbye and opened the door, "Stay here. I'll be back."

Peter was about to say something else when Johnny slammed the door in his face.

He walked down the hall slowly, wondering if the person who had caused all this was even still here.

The school seemed to be empty now. Must have been evacuated.

Johnny didn't hate Peter. He just got on his nerves, pissed him off when he laughed in his face. But he was suddenly feeling bad about leaving the kid there. What if something did happen to him? What if Peter wasn't Spider-Man and couldn't handle himself? Johnny was a dick, but there was no way he would let someone die if he could prevent it. He would never forgive himself.

Johnny sighed and turned back around, ready to go back and escort Peter out of the school.

Instead, he came face to face with something else. He didn't know how to describe it.

The man was- Johnny assumed he was a man- dressed in some high tech costume that looked like it could have been stolen from Stark's tech room.

In his opinion, the suit was ugly. Purple and green was not Johnny's favorite color combination.

The suit kinda looked like an insect. It had mechanical wings with antennas to match.

Johnny sucked in a breath before raising his hand, "Hi."

The suited man didn't say anything.

"Okay so - Since you aren't going to say anything, should we start fighting now or?" Johnny waved his arms around and awaited a response.

"Don't you know who I am? " The man rumbled.

Johnny chuckled. That was exactly something he would say. Well, he has said that. Countless times. Was he actually talking to himself?

"No... Should I?" Johnny asked.

"Yes!" The man squeaked. He didn't sound so threatening anymore. Johnny let his shoulders relax.

"Sorry buddy, but I've been away for awhile. Not really caught up with the new wanna-be villains that show up in New York.. But you know who I am, right?" Johnny raised his finger and looked into the blank eyes of the helmet the man was wearing. He didn't see any sort of reaction when he let his finger get engulfed with flames.

"I don't care who you are!" He shouted.

"See? We're on the same page! I don't care who you are either." He exclaimed.

"I am the Beetle!" The man roared, stretching out his wings at full span.

"and you tell me anyway." Johnny sighed.

"You will pay, for disrespecting me, the greatest villain of New York."

"Greatest villain in New York?" A voice asked, "You aren't even in the top ten."

Johnny and the "Beetle" both looked up, and there he was. Spider-Man in all his glory.

Johnny's mouth fell open. Not because he was shocked that Spider-Man was right there, but because that was Peter's voice. Peter tried to distort it, he made his voice sound lower and more drawn out, but it was him.

He didn't know why he was so shocked. The agents had insisted that he was Spider-Man, but he somehow didn't believe them up until now.

It was hard to believe that Peter was Spider-Man. He didn't come across like a superhero. He didn't seem like someone who saved lives on a daily basis. He did all of this at age fifteen. Johnny was impressed.

More questions were raised at this moment. How did Peter become Spider-Man? How'd he get his powers? Did anyone else know about this? Did Tony know? Where'd he get the suit? He didn't think he would ever get the answers.

"Spider-Man!" The Beetle exclaimed.

"What's up with all these superheroes based on insects?" Johnny asked, more to himself than the two masked people who were also in the room.

"Spider-Man is an arachnid but whatever." Spider-Man mumbled. He jumped down and stood need to the beetle, patting him on the back and deciding whether he should be looking at Johnny or the crazy villain whack job.

"So you two know each other?" Johnny asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. What are you doing here anyway? Didn't learn your lesson from last time?" He teased.

"I'm here to continue my reign of terror!" He shouted.

"Okay, so we could fight around for awhile. Given that Torch is here, we could take you down in an easy three minutes or less. Or you could just let us call the cops, wait around awkwardly for awhile, and wait until they show up."

Beetle's shoulders slumped and he looked down at his feet. Johnny wondered how old this man actually was.

"So I'll call the police." Spidey chuckled, pulling out a cracked iPhone 3. It was 2017. Who still had an iPhone 3?

"Um- I could call my sister? Pretty sure my family could get here faster than the cops." Johnny said.

Peter's grip tightened around his phone, "You mean you'd- They'd come _here_?! " Peter exclaimed.

"Um, ya. Can I-?" Johnny gestured toward Peter's-spider-man's phone.

Spidey quickly handed Johnny his phone, although he seemed a bit nervous about lending him it. He made sure to stand close to Johnny while he made the phone call.

Peter seemed to act completely different when he was suited up. He seemed more talkative, more expressive. Johnny wondered if wearing a mask had anything to do with it.

"Hello?" Ben was the one to pick up.

"Ben, it's me Johnny. How fast can you make it to Mid-Town High?"

"Why? Finally get shoved into a locker?" Ben laughed. Johnny felt himself starting to smoke.

"No. We got some low class villain here. Thought you and the rest could show up faster."

"eh, sure kid. We'll be there in a few."

***

It took them a little less than two minutes to show up and take care of the beetle. He didn't seem very reluctant to leave. Spidey had informed him that the guy had been in jail more than five times but always somehow managed to worm his way out.

Once the four had taken care of the beetle, Spidey nudged Johnny in the shoulder and whispered, "Mind introducing me to Doctor Richards?"

Johnny gave him an odd look but shook his head yes and led him over to Reed.

Spider-Man seemed a bit too excited to meet Reed. Reed seemed uninterested at first until he mentioned how big of a fan he was of Reed's work and how inspired he was when Reed created some thingy that caused Peter to create another thingy that led to another thingy. Johnny wasn't sure what they were talking about but it was boring, and he made his way over to Sue, who was impatiently waiting for the conversation to be over.

"So- is that Peter?" Susan asked. Johnny's eyes widened.

"Sue! He's right there!" He whispered harshly.

"Oh please, those two aren't hearing a word anyone else is saying. When Reed talks to someone who is as interested as he is about his experiments, the world might as well not exist."

Johnny raised his eyes and looked at Reed, who was showing Spidey something on his phone that seemed to excite the two a great deal.

"Ya, pretty sure it is." Johnny mumbled.

"I like him, called me Doctor Storm. Glad he doesn't see me like everyone else does. Also didn't call Ben "The Thing". Said 'Pleasure to meet you Mr. Grimm.' Should have seen Ben's face."

Johnny let himself smile, "Ya he's a good guy."

"Don't hurt him. Don't care how bad you want that money. If you're still wanting to pursue this whole thing you make him believe you are his friend."

"How many times are you going to-"

"Please, come by the lab. I insist. I'd love to work with you." Reed exclaimed, shaking Spidey's hand a little too long and hard. Reed was genuinely happy. Wow.

"Anytime, Doctor Richards. It was great meeting you, all of you." He turned to look at Susan and Ben. He didn't even glance at Johnny. Okay, that's fine.

Did he forget about that awesome kiss Johnny gave him earlier? Apparently so.

"Oh and I don't know if you care, but Peter made it out safe." Spidey said. Susan bit down on her lower lip and shifted her weight onto the other foot.

"He did? Okay, good. I was worried. If you see him, could you tell him that I'm sorry? And that I really need to talk to him about this- thing that happened earlier." Johnny tried to look nervous, scratching the back of his neck and hoping that his acting was convincing enough.

"Oh um, sure."

"Do you- know him personally or-?"

"He takes my pictures for the bugle. I'll tell him if I see him, I have to go now." Peter waved one last time and jumped out the window.

"He takes pictures of himself?!" Johnny laughed, turning to look at Ben.

"Hey, at least he's making money." Ben rumbled.

"He's extremely smart." Reed gushed.

"How adorable is he?" Sue exclaimed.

Great. Now his whole family liked him better than Johnny did. What did he do to deserve this?

"Also, what thing happened earlier?" Sue asked, arms crossed.

Fuck.

*******

When Peter jumped through his bedroom window and threw his backpack onto the bed he felt like the King of the world.

He met Reed Richards. He said he could come by the lab anytime. Ben and Sue liked him. And Johnny-

Johnny kissed him.

Peter didn't know what that meant. If it was a joke or a spark of the moment thing. But Johnny Storm kissed him. Not in the most romantic place. It was a bit cramped and the closet smelled like soap and dirty mops but fuck- Peter couldn't stop thinking about it. He couldn't stop thinking about Johnny's soft lips or his arm tightly wrapped around his waist. He couldn't stop thinking about how Johnny smelled like ash but also pine trees and strawberry shampoo.

He even told him ( technically he told Spidey) that he wanted to talk about the kiss.

Peter didn't think he could hate Johnny anymore, after what happened between them. Despite their arguments and differences, Johnny kissed him.

Peter fell backwards into his bed and smiled goofily at the ceiling.

Johnny liked him.

 _Johnny Storm really_ _liked him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love when you guys comment, so if you could do that some more I'd love to see what you guys have to say or how you're liking it. Maybe comment your favorite part (if u have one lmao) or if you have questions. Also it'd be cool if this fic got to 130 kudos. Also, if you pay attention to the chapter titles, they're songs that I feel like Peter would listen to. This chapters title is by the brobecks and the last two are by life in film and the Griswolds. Listen to them they're amazing.


	5. Light Me Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's here. it's not very good (like every chapter) and I know it's probably not what you expected after waiting about three months. But hey, at least I finally got it done. Hope u don't hate it too much oops.

Even though the Beetle wasn't in the school very long that day, he still managed to cause an excessive amount of damage to the school.

The next day while Peter was tying his shoes the phone rang and to his relief it was the principle calling to say that school was cancelled. The reason was that construction workers would be their for the next few days, fixing broken windows and damaged lockers.

Peter wasn't wanting to go to school that day anyway. He would have to see Johnny- and that wasn't exactly a bad thing. He just didn't know what he would say. He kinda wished Johnny and Spider-Man met first , instead of Johnny and Peter Parker.

Peter always felt more confident under his mask, given that no one could see that he was a nerdy fifteen year old kid.

Maybe Spider-Man and The Human Torch could have been friends. Johnny didn't seem to hate Spider-Man when he met him yesterday.

Reed seemed to like him and so did the rest of the team. Reed even offered for him to stop by the lab anytime he wanted. He would have to take him up on his offer some day. To see _the_ Reed Richards' lab? That would be a dream come true.

When Peter had gotten home, he had called Ned and asked if he was okay. The other boy said he was fine and was just happy that they got out of school early, no matter the circumstances. Ned had also told him that Harry had been calling him, asking why Peter wasn't answering his phone.

Peter had missed Harry. They still kept in touch, texted almost every night and had the occasional phone call. Despite how hard they tried, things still weren't the same.

Peter had been excited for High School, he and Harry had both been. That was until Harry told Peter that he would not be attending the same school as Peter. Harry had found out only weeks before the new school year that his dad was forcing him to go to some pristine prep school that wasn't even remotely close to Peter's school or house.

It wasn't _that_ bad. Harry was only a subway ride away. But Peter just didn't have _time_. Every time they had scheduled to meet up somewhere there had been some low class villain downtown ready to cause chaos, resulting in Peter missing his subway.

He apologized to Harry over the phone countless times but that still wouldn't change the bitter tone in Harry's voice.

Harry Osborn and Peter Parker. They were like peanut butter and jelly. Or - a chicken and coyote. Peter squinted. Okay- that was a bad example. But the point is that they were basically best friend soul mates. And when Harry had left? Peter's life had gone to shit. Harry was the one who kept the bullies away. He was the one who reminded Peter of the homework he had always forgotten. Who would come over every morning to bring him a smoothie. So when he left, Peter found himself walking into town every day, during the summer , with seventeen year olds pushing and shoving him for at least two hours . Harry was bullied too, not physically, but it was just a lot of remarks about his rich father that weren't very tasteful.

They didn't seem to bother Harry. He usually ignored his bullies but couldn't seem to ignore the Flash Thompsons that were always shoving books out of Peter's hands or throwing his glasses across the room.

Oh, but Peter couldn't forget about Gwen Stacy. You couldn't have Harry and Peter without her. She was the love of Peter's life between second to fourth grade until Harry had finally urged him to go talk to her. And somehow they became best friends. They were young at the time. She said that they weren't ready for a relationship, but maybe ask again in a few years. They tried to date in seventh grade but realized they were better as friends and never tried a romantic relationship again.

Harry, Gwen, and Peter had all been best friends from fourth to eighth grade. The three musketeers. The three stooges.

It all seemed to go downhill when Harry announced his departure though.

So when Harry waved Peter goodbye and rode off in a limo to rich kid high, Peter thought that he at least had Gwen. But no, the world hated him. The world always tried to fuck things up for him. He was a good person. What did he do to deserve the shit he got?

It was a very, very shitty coincidence that, _apparently_ , Gwen was going to the same school. So Harry and Gwen would have each other. And who would Peter have? No one.

How was that fair? His two best friends were leaving and coincidentally they were going to be at the same high school and probably would live in the same town and hell- what was stopping them from living on the same street?

Peter asked why she was leaving too. She said she didn't have a choice . Her parents had thought that it would look good, going to a nice high school. That maybe it would get colleges looking at her or something of that matter. But why were they worrying about that now? It was bullshit, in Peter's opinion.

It was the same with Gwen. The occasional phone calls but that was all. He missed subway rides to her house too, thanks to stupid middle aged men in stupid costumes harassing stupid old women. But he wasn't bitter about the situation in the slightest...

He had met Ned though, the first day of school. He didn't seem to have anyone to talk to so Peter thought what the hell- it wasn't like the guy would punch him in the face and tell him to beat it. So Peter sat down next to him at lunch and started taking about his crazy third hour teacher who liked greys anatomy _too much_.

Ned has been a good friend. They talked everyday and Peter could tell him anything he wanted. Except you know, him being Spider-Man and all.

Like was saying, Ned's a good friend. He wasn't as close as he was with Gwen and Harry, but Peter didn't mind.

Peter stared up at the ceiling. He really shouldn't waste away this free day. Maybe he could finish some assignments that were due next month. Or he could swing around the city and try and find some trouble. The second choice sounded a bit more exciting.

Hey, maybe he would even run into the human torch.

•••••

Johnny really should have gotten Peter's number. It would make his job a lot easier. He didn't even know where he lived and didn't have any idea how to talk to him on the weekends. But hey - Spider-Man knows Peter Parker, right?

He popped his head out of his room and told his family that he was gonna fly around the city for a while, something he hadn't really had the chance to do lately, given that school took up the majority of his life now. Johnny wanted to go around the city like he always does right when he got home, but Sue insisted that if he was really serious about this whole thing, he would have to do the homework that was given to him.

He figured it was also some kind of punishment since she was so bothered about what Johnny was doing to Peter. But it wasn't that bad. Not in Johnny's mind anyway.

Sue nodded and reminded Johnny to be safe.

Spider-Man was sighted a lot around the city. Almost every day there was new footage of the web slinger climbing walls and punching bank robbers in the jaw. Surely Spidey, aka Peter, would be out tonight.

And well - if he wasn't, Johnny would just have to wait around all day.

The goal was to get Peter's number .. From Spider-Man. Who actually is.. Peter. Johnny felt like snorting.

So that was the goal. And maybe he would mess around with the guy for a bit. Johnny was in need of a good laugh.

*****

To his relief, he didn't have to wait around too long. He could of found the kid a lot sooner if he hadn't stopped for a hot dog and then have to deal with about thirty swarming fans and maybe one or two assholes from TMZ. Seriously, who watched that show anymore anyway?

Once Johnny was done signing the last hotdog wrapper he flew his way across the city, eyes scanning the buildings that passed him in search for the red and blue suit.

It was twenty minutes before he actually found the kid. He was sitting on top of a building, talking on the phone with someone. Johnny decided he would wait until he finished the call before going to talk to him.

Johnny made out only a few things that Peter was saying. Something about how he would be home later today and that the person on the other line shouldn't have to worry.

He wondered who he was talking to. His mom? Sister? Friend?

When Johnny was given the folder on Peter Parker, he didn't read it. He should've, but he just stuffed it between his mattress and hadn't looked at it since. Why should he? He knew what the kid looked like and how old he was. That's the only information he needed. But other than his age, name, and school, he didn't really know anything about him. Oh, and he was Spider-Man.

Johnny assumed the kid lived with his family. Possibly had brothers and sisters. He wondered if he had a big family. If so, how did he always sneak out? How did they not figure out by now that their son/brother was a superhero?

It's not like Johnny would ever get these answers. He didn't know why he was so curious about it.

Peter finally said goodbye and stood up.

Johnny cleared his throat before shouting,"Spidey! Hey, wait a second!"

Spidey only looked up at him with those blank bug eyes so Johnny decided to just land next to him.

"Torchy. What do you need?" He asked.

Johnny cocked an eyebrow. Torchy. So, they had pet names now? Okay, that was fine. Johnny didn't mind. It was kinda nice. Like they were friends or something.

But Johnny would never want to be Peter's real friend because Peter is a fifteen year old dork. Nah, Johnny had plenty of friends.

He cleared his throat, "Do you know Peter personally?"

Spider-Man just stared back at him.

"Like, are you two close?"

Spider-Man ducked his head and shifted his weight on the other foot, "I guess you could say that. Why?"

"I was wondering if you had his number? I want to talk to him and I don't think it can wait until Monday."

"Oh um- ya. Could I see your phone or-?"

Johnny quickly nodded and handed him his phone. It only took a few seconds for Spidey to put in the number.

"What do you want to uh- talk to him about anyway?" Spidey asked , his tone sounding nervous.

"Is that your business, Spider-Guy?" Johnny teased.

Spidey laughed,"No I guess not. But hey, I'll see you around?"

Johnny saluted him with his phone, "Definitely. Hey, maybe we could become pals. Get a pizza."

"As long as you're buying." He chuckled.

"Oh of course. What use would I be if I couldn't buy my Spider friend a large pizza with all the toppings he wants?"

"No use." He let out another laugh and Johnny felt his mouth twitch up into a smile of its own. Huh.

"Alright. Whenever you want to treat me, I'll be around." And then Spidey waved him goodbye and jumped off the building.

Johnny stood there for several seconds, watching the hero swing away until he became a small speck in the distance.

Ya, Johnny could have called the number right in front of the guy and watch him freak out as a phone started ringing loudly. He could have watched the guy try and make up some stupid excuse like, "Oh I forgot Peter left his phone at our last meeting, I'll have to get this to him, I absolutely forgot oh I'm sorry I'll- "

But he didn't.

But maybe- just maybe he could win over both of them. Johnny wasn't stupid, he knew they were the same person. But if he decided not to just win over Peter, but Spider-Man too, his work would be done a lot faster than he estimated it to be.

Fuck. Johnny had the best ideas lately. Where were they all coming from?

*****

_Johnny: hey, it's Johnny._

Johnny sat on his bed and awaited a response. As soon as he got home he texted Peter, and it had been 10 minutes and still no response. Ten whole minutes. It's never taken this long for someone to respond to _him_.

He heard Sue in the kitchen preparing tonight's dinner while Ben complained that they should have ordered pizza. Lately, Susan was trying to go vegan, so that meant Johnny couldn't eat meat or drink milk or fry an egg in front of her. She had gotten rid of most of their meat and dairy products but Reed kept some foods he couldn't live without in the mini fridge he hid away for when sue went on another health kick. This hadn't be the first time.

His phone buzzed. He quickly unlocked it.

_Peter: hi. how'd you get my number?_

Johnny wanted to snort. He knew exactly how. Oh well. He had to play along, didn't he?

_Johnny: ur friend Spidey gave it to me._

_Peter: oh. Alright._

How was he supposed to respond to that? Also- what was Johnny texting him for anyway? What was the goal? He thought for a few seconds before quickly typing out a response.

_Johnny: I hope things aren't weird between us now. I know I've been a dick but with what happened yesterday I figured we could put whatever stupid arguments we had behind us?_

_Peter: definitely. sorry for being stubborn._

_Johnny: np.. Did u want to have dinner at my house tonight? Reed would be bouncing off the walls if-_

Oh shit. He almost made another mistake. Backtrack, Johnny. Reed hasn't met Peter. He's met Spider-Man.

Johnny: _np. Did u maybe want to have dinner at my place tonight? So then maybe we could, idk, talk about things afterwards?_

_Peter: okay, sounds good._

_Johnny: I assume you know where the Baxter building is?_

_Peter: who doesn't?_

_Johnny: true. be here at seven. Just FYI: my sister is going through a vegan phase. dinner might suck._

_Peter: that's okay lol_

_Johnny: okay good haha. Can't wait to see you._

_Peter: alright_  
Peter: ah shut I meant you too  
Peter: *shut  
Peter: SHUT  
Peter: I MEAN SHIT  
Peter: k bye :)

Johnny grinned. But only because the guy was such a huge idiot.

Right.

*****

He doesn't know why he was so anxious in the hours that were leading up to Peter's arrival. Maybe because he was afraid that Reed or Sue would open their big mouthes and let something slip out that would ruin everything for him. But if anything slipped out of Sue's mouth, it probably wouldn't be an accident.

It was no surprise that Reed was delighted that Peter was coming over. Johnny reminded him two times in a row that Reed was not supposed to know the kid. Sue reminded him. Ben reminded him. And after about twelve reminders he said, " I can't wait to see the kid. I'll have to tell him I've been waiting for him to show up at my lab."

For a genius he sure could be an absolute idiot.

Around 7:00 Peter texted Johnny and said:

_Peter: I'm outside the building. Will they like, let me in?  
Peter: the security I mean_

_Johnny: I told them we had someone on their way. Should be no problem._

And in just a matter of seconds Peter was knocking on the door and Johnny was suddenly nervous. Fuck, his mind was all over the place lately. He couldn't wait until this was all over.

Susan ended up opening the door and greeting Peter with a bone crushing hug. In that moment Johnny prayed Sue wouldn't mess things up for him.

Actually, she did the exact opposite.

"Peter! Johnny has told us so much about you!"

She was playing along?

After all she said to him, the lectures and the nagging and the glances she shot at him when the mission was brought up in casual conversation?

Johnny wasn't complaining. But what happened to her not wanting anything to do with it? Johnny figured it was just pity.

"It's nice to meet you, Doctor Storm." Johnny wanted to snort. What a suck up. He said that to her last time. Was that how he would refer to her all the time?

Sue's face split into an even wider grin. If that was even possible.

"Here I'll introduce you to the rest of the family!" She said cheerfully, and hell, Johnny doesn't even think she was pretending. She was genuinely excited about the kid being here.

She wrapped her arm tightly around his shoulders and led him to the kitchen. He glanced at Johnny and smiled.

Johnny grinned back at him.

After the introductions, they all sat down and begin to pass around the salad and other tofu vegan crap that she had prepared earlier.

Peter had sat next to Johnny. They hadn't said a word since he got here. It felt kinda awkward but Sue's rambling about how she was going to stick to being vegan this time made the air feel less uncomfortable.

Johnny finally leaned over and whispered, "Just pretend to like it."

Peter grinned at him again and simply nodded, getting a forkful of one of the dishes Sue had prepared and shoving it in his mouth. He gave him a thumbs up.

It didn't take long for Reed and Peter to spark up a conversation about the new equipment Reed bought for the lab yesterday. Johnny didn't understand any of it and didn't care.

Sue cleared her throat, "So Peter. Despite how much Johnny talks about you, we really don't know too much. What's your family like?" She asked.

Peter sipped on his water and then said, "Oh, I just have my Aunt."

"Parents?" Sue quirked an eyebrow.

He tensed up.

"My parents died when I was little. My Aunt and Uncle raised me but my Uncle Ben just recently died too."

It was silent.

Johnny's eyes widened. Wow. He hadn't expected _that_. He kinda felt bad for him now.

"So- no brothers or sisters?" Johnny asked, now turning to look at Peter.

"Nope." He shook his head.

"Do you mind me asking- how'd your parents pass?" Sue leaned forward.

Peter sat down his glass of water before saying, "It was a long time ago. They dropped me off at my aunt and uncles , I still don't know why. And then they left. Don't know where they were going but right after they left me there they boarded a plane. It crashed."

Sue rushed out an apology, though Johnny doesn't know why she was apologizing.

So they just left their child? No explanation, no nothing? Johnny would be pissed if they weren't dead.

Johnny was surprised. He wondered if Sue was too, if she was seeing the connection Johnny was seeing. All in all, Johnny and Peter's childhoods weren't too different. Mother died. Father died. Well, technically his father went to jail, but Johnny thought it would just be easier to tell people his father died as well. Sue thought the same. And then they went to live with an Aunt. Hm.

But still, Johnny couldn't imagine what it was like to be in Peter's shoes. At least Johnny knew all the circumstances of how his mother died. Peter had no idea where his parents were heading.

He wanted to ask how his uncle died as well, but he thought that was pushing it.

It was silent. It took a few seconds before Reed realized they were done with that topic and then continued on about how Peter _must_ see his lab after dinner.

While Reed rambled on about God knows what, Johnny tried to figure out what his game plan was.

Peter had to think something was going on between the two now. Right ? After what happened between the two of them yesterday, It would be hard not to.

"Looks like we are done honey!" Reed smiled at Susan and dropped his fork onto his plate. He stood up and tugged lightly on Peter's arm.

"We'll be off to the lab- Peter you have to see th-"

"Um- maybe you could take Peter to the lab later? I actually have to uh," Johnny cleared his throat, "talk to him about something."

Reed's grin dropped into a frown while Ben and Susan narrowed their eyes at him. They looked suspicious. Of course they had ever right to be. Everyone at the table knew the situation between Johnny and Peter. Except well, Peter.

Peter let out a nervous chuckle.

"Ya. Uh- if you'll excuse us." Johnny could see how terrified the younger boy was. He looked around at the table, now noticing that no one at the table would make eye contact with him. Of course Reed wasn't doing it on purpose. He was just pouting because he wanted the kid to see the new boring bullshit he was working on.

Johnny led Peter to his bedroom. He shut the door behind him, knowing that it would peak Susan's curiosity but also piss her off at the exact same time.

He didn't speak as he watched Peter observe Johnny's bedroom.

He had nothing to be embarrassed about really. He had a few model cars on a shelf above his desk. It's not like his walls were lined with superhero figurines. Although, he did stuff away the captain america limited edition action figure that Ben had given to him as a gag gift last year for Christmas.

But even if he did have it sitting out, he doesn't think Peter would give him shit about it. Before his arrival, he found himself caring what Peter would think about his bedroom. What he would think about every single object inside his bedroom.

This resulted in him actually picking up his dirty underwear , vacuuming, and carrying out the dirty cereal bowls that were scattered across his room.

Again, he couldn't explain why he cared so fucking much. Peter was just some loser freshman who could possibly be the infamous web slinger that Johnny internet stalked daily like, last year.

And so fucking what if he was that low class superhero? Every single day he asked himself this. So what? Why did everyone care so much? It's not like this is the first time someone has kept a secret identity.

Johnny's thoughts (his very fucked, very confusing thoughts) were interrupted by Peter who whirled around, a nervous look in his eyes but a genuine smile on his face.

"Your room is very nice." He sounded very quite.

Johnny nodded, "Thanks. Yours too."

Johnny wanted to stab himself in the face. What the fuck.

Peter quirked an eyebrow, "I don't remember you ever being in my room."

"I- ya I know. I never-"

Peter chuckled, ending Johnny's nervous babbling.

"So you wanted to talk about.. Things ?" Peter asked, now sitting on Johnny's bed.

Johnny was suddenly aware that right underneath his mattress was the classified file with the words "Peter Parker" written on the front.

Peter stared up at him as Johnny thought about what he wanted to say next.

Johnny shifted on his feet. Yes, this was all fake. But he's never really had a conversation like this before.

Okay. Johnny thinks for a second before deciding that he was going to ask him out. Ya. He was gonna ask Peter to date him. Peter would have to say yes, right? He was Johnny Storm. They kissed yesterday. Peter had _liked_ it.

Johnny sat next to Peter on the bed. Okay, here goes nothing.

And then Johnny opened his mouth. And-

And nothing came out.

Shit. Maybe it was because Peter was a guy. Or because Johnny wasn't actually interested in the kid.

And it's not like his intentions were good.

So Johnny wasn't very good at talking. I mean, with interviewers? He was the king. With fifteen year old kids who had a crush on him? Not so much.

"Johnny?" Peter asked, tilting his head to the side out of confusion.

His mouth was glued shut. What now?

Peter wouldn't sit here much longer if Johnny didn't say at least something. He would much rather be in Reed's lab.

"Maybe we could talk another time?" Peter asked. He stood up and - shit. This was what Johnny was afraid of.

"Wait!" Johnny said. One word. That was a good start.

"Yes?" Peter asked in a surprisingly patient tone.

Fuck it. If he couldn't string together one simple sentence what good was it just sitting here doing nothing?

Johnny's mind made a split second decision and then he was grabbing Peter's arm, pulling him back onto the bed.

And then he was kissing Peter Parker. Again.

Johnny's heart was thudding. And no, not because he was kissing the guy. But because he was now very aware that he hadn't locked the door behind him. The thought of Susan - or even worse, Reed, walking in on this would be mortifying. Ben would never let Johnny live it down.

Peter's hands fisted into the front of his shirt as he nipped on Johnny's bottom lip, sending a shiver down his spine.

He almost forgot that Peter was actually pretty good at kissing. And hey- a kiss was just a kiss. Might as well enjoy it.

He moved his lips harshly against the younger boy's, eventually causing Peter to open up his mouth underneath his.

Johnny could vaguely taste the salad they ate earlier on Peter's tongue, but he couldn't bring himself to care. There was something else to, something entirely Peter. Something very new and fresh which tasted a bit like mint, but just could be toothpaste or gum he was possibly chewing earlier.

He then cupped Peter's face as he pulled him forward, now causing Peter to sit half way in Johnny's lap, which looked very uncomfortable but Peter didn't seem to protest.

He tongue twisted against the younger boy's, causing the two to gasp almost simultaneously.

Peter was enjoying this. He thought so anyway. Well, If the way his hands were gripping his shirt as if his life depended and the small breathy noises he was making was anything to go by.

He was making him feel _good_ , which somehow caused Johnny's fucked up brain to finally decide that it wanted to say something.

He pulled back for a second, mouth open to say what he wanted to say all night before Peter was pulling him back, their teeth clashing in a harsh but somehow exciting way.

"Peter-"

"What?" He sounded desperate, and a bit annoyed. His lips still moved hurriedly against Johnny's but hell- as good as this felt, Johnny could finally say what he wanted, and he wasn't just _not_ gonna say it.

"Hey-" He placed his hands on Peter's chest.

Peter's hair now looked like a birds nest. His pupils were almost black and his lips were kissed red and shiny with spit. Fuck. He shouldn't be allowed to look _that_ good.

"You like- want to date? You know, be my boyfriend and all that?" He could've worded that better but at least it wasn't a broken string of incoherent words.

"Um-" Johnny could see Peter stiffen.

This is exactly what he didn't want.

"I'm- fuck, I just.. You do realize I'm kind of the hugest nerd at that school right?"

Yes. And?

"You aren't. Don't say that."

Peter rubbed his hands together anxiously, "I am. Just ask anyone. Wouldn't that ruin your reputation?"

Probably. But what should Johnny care ? That school was full of people who he would never talk to again after the whole Parker thing. Everyone he met so fat were stupid kids with big dreams of being the best quarterback in the world or the prettiest Victoria's Secret model anyone has ever seen. But, newsflash, that guy would probably end up cleaning the ice cream machines at McDonald's and that girl would probably end up pregnant in the next three months. He sounded like a dick, he knows, but that was the harsh reality of it. He didn't really want to associate himself with ignorant high school kids anyway.

Says the seventeen year old. But he was a mature seventeen year old! Just ask anyone!

( "Mature" was the last word that anyone would think of when it came to the human torch.)

So ya. Dating Peter might cause some talk. It might lose his spot at that popular table he was forced to sit at on the first day. But being known as the guy dating the loser freshman still didn't change the fact that he was one of the most beloved and handsome superheroes in the New York- heck, in the whole entire _world_.

Johnny chuckled, "I don't care about all that."

"What about like- paparazzi? Newspapers?"

Now that was one thing Johnny hadn't thought of. Shit. The agent had no idea Johnny was going through with this. Befriend him. That was the one strict instruction he was given. What would he do if he saw a newspaper and the cover was blurry picture of the two holding hands with the headline " ** _JOHNNY STORM NO LONGER SINGLE: READ MORE ABOUT THE MYSTERY BOY INSIDE_**!"

"I don't care about that either." Is what came tumbling out of Johnny's mouth next. Just kill him already.

Peter seemed to beam, "Really?"

Johnny nodded but didn't dare speak another word.

Suddenly a clear blush tinted Peter's cheeks and he seemed a lot more nervous than he was earlier. In a matter of minutes he went from a seemingly experienced and desperate guy who couldn't seem to get enough of sucking Johnny's face off to well- this. A red faced stuttering mess.

"Oh okay- well. Ya. That's cool. Um- I'll go out with you. Unless, you've changed your mind? I mean, it's been a few seconds since you offered and if you changed your mind in that period of time I would totally un-" Johnny leaned forward and kissed him.

"I didn't change my mind."

Peter grinned from ear to ear. Johnny felt his chest tighten.

"Okay well- um, I guess I'll be going and- I'll text you later? But only if you want me to, of course." He said.

"I want you to. But , I'd go see what Reed has been wanting to show you all night. Pretty sure he'd die if you didn't at least glance inside his lab."

Peter threw his head back and laughed, "Okay, no problem."

Peter seemed to battle with himself over something before quickly leaning in and kissing Johnny on the cheek.

"Uh- bye!" He said and then he was out of the room before Johnny could respond.

Johnny bit down on his lip. He let his mind process everything that happened for a few seconds. Let himself be aware of the tingling feeling that stuck to his mouth and cheek since he left.

He stood up and then lifted his mattress, reaching his arm as far as he could before his fingers came into contact with the folder. Once he pulled it out he tossed it onto his bed and went over to his bedroom door, turning the lock.

Johnny flopped down on his bed and picked up the folder.

He heard Reed laugh at something Peter had said in the kitchen as he flipped to see what was written on the first page.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna set a date when the new chapter will be up. Next month? In two months? Have no idea . Thank you for all waiting though. It's kinda crazy that some of you were here when I uploaded the first original chapter, which was what? I think two years ago? This chapters title is a song called Light me up by Bronze radio return. All the songs are from my own Peter playlist. If you listen to the five songs, tell me how you like them? They're so good. Okay, who knows when I'll see you kiddos again but bye. (Also leave comments, I thrive on feedback)


	6. Don't Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the wait, really. It's just every time I start writing I lose inspiration. Also, I really hate my writing and when I finish something I feel very discouraged after. For real idk how you guys read this shit. I'll try and improve, I promise. Enjoy I guess. If you're disappointed I'm genuinely sorry

Johnny closed the folder and tossed it aside.

So much was floating around inside his head. It felt like his brain was going to spontaneously combust at any moment.

First of all, he felt like the scum of the earth. In fact, he was worst than scum.

Listen, Johnny didn't _care_ about Peter Parker. He was a fifteen year old dork who wore sweaters so ugly Johnny could cry. But how could he not feel bad after practically invading his privacy?? Ya, Peter had no idea, but that didn't make him feel any better.

What made it worse? He kept reading. Kept snooping and turning pages even though his stomach was churning right when he opened the Manila folder.

He felt himself ease when most of it was simple facts that he absolutely did not care about. Eye color. Weight. Height. And fuck if he cares about his GPA.

( Which was impressive to say the least but that wasn't the point ).

It started settling it, the knot in his stomach, when he stumbled across the article about Richard and Mary Parker. No, he thought, this was none of his business.

The details kept pulling him in deeper.

Awful, what happened to the Parker's. Plane crash, just as Peter had told him. Richard had died fast- on impact. Mary was a different situation. The plane caught fire, and so did she. Burnt alive.

Johnny wondered if Peter's Aunt and Uncle had told him all about it. Either that or they kept it short and simple. Maybe Peter had looked more into it when he was older.

Below the gruesome details was a black and white picture of Peter, squished between his loving parents on a very tiny couch.

His mother was smiling down at him, hand threaded through his hair. Adoration could very well be seen in her eyes as well as the father's.

They all looked so _happy_.

He flipped the page.

He was then looking at a police report.

About Ben Parker. Peter's uncle.

He was shot not too long ago. Past midnight in the middle of the street. Police hadn't got there on time.

There was no pictures with this one. The sentences were a bit choppy and the details not too clear. The thing that had caught his eye was that Peter had _been_ there.

Kneeling next to his uncle, murmuring I love you's and soaking his hands in blood was the last memory he had of his uncle.

One witness said that he screamed so loud it sent a shiver straight down her spine.

Tears running down his face, he wiped the blood on his pants and ran off in the other direction.

Another man said Ben whispered something to Peter before going limp. No one was close enough to hear what he said, no one could even hear over the concerned whispers and sounds of the city.

Fuck.

They hadn't caught the man who had shot him. They had a description, they were even hot on his trail that night, but somehow he had gotten away.

Johnny couldn't begin to imagine how Peter felt.

(He made a mental note not to mention his uncle in any future conversations they'd share.)

And then a few minutes and 10 pages later there was another fucking police report. Christ, how many were in here?!

Johnny pressed his eyebrows together. Steven Westcott. Who the hell was that?

It stated Peter was ten at the time. Steven was eighteen.

Johnny kept reading, not sure where this was going. Steven had gone by the name Skip. Worked part time at his father's work.

Peter's Uncle had called in and demanded for Steven's arrest and- oh.

Johnny's eyes widened.

This was crossing the line. He had no right to read this. It was Peter's business, not his.

.. He had to at least know the ending.

It said Steven had gotten away. His father had no idea where he went, no one did, which also resulted in a missing persons report. But other than that? Nothing. It was like they didn't even try to find him.

Johnny stared at the folder he threw toward the end of his bed.

He decided to hide it deep inside his closet.

****

Peter was going to die. Okay, he was being dramatic. But it felt like he was going to die. Really! And maybe that wouldn't be the most terrible thing in the world..

Classes were going to resume tomorrow. Peter was going to see Johnny. His new boyfriend.

Johnny told him he didn't care about the students, the paparazzi. But truthfully, Peter did.

No one knew he wasn't straight except for Ned , and even then he hadn't even told him. He had just figured it out for himself.

So he never told anyone that he looked at boys just as much as girls. And it scared him half to death.

How would his Aunt react?? The whole school? Harry and Gwen? Yes, he wouldn't have to see them in person, but word gets around very easy. He's sure Gwen would check Twitter and find out by checking the top trending hashtag. He didn't want it that way.

He'd talk to Johnny tomorrow. He would understand, right?

And then the second thing bothering; how was he supposed to act around Johnny??

This was his first relationship. Johnny was a seventeen year old heartthrob. There's no surprise that he's had countless relationships, experience in every single department that Peter had no clue about.

Who would he ask?? Gwen knew everything , but given that she had no clue that Peter was dating anyone , it wasn't like he could go ask her for help.

And Ned wasn't good at stuff like this either. Hell, Ned has never been in a relationship. Well, not if you count the creepy life size cut out of Rose Tyler from Doctor Who he keeps under his bed.

Or maybe he could go on google and search ' _How do you act around your new seventeen year old boyfriend who is extremely popular while you're very below average_ '.

He should clear his head. Tell Aunt May he's going to hang out with Ned and be back by ten.

And of course that wasn't where he'd really be.

****

As soon as Peter walked into school that day, he tore out his earbuds, just so he could hear what people were saying around him.

Did Johnny already tell someone? Did the whole school know?

The only conversations he could clearly hear was about a quiz in fifth hour Spanish and how Adam broke up with Chelsea. Whoever those people were.

He didn't hear the keywords Peter, Johnny, or boyfriend. He almost let out a sigh of relief.

But even then, it felt like everyone was staring at him. It felt like they were just thinking; _Peter.. With Johnny? That's not gonna last_.'

Paranoid, he reminded himself, he was just being paranoid.

"Peter!!" A voice shouted. He sputtered and turned around as quickly as he could on his heel.

There was Ned, racing toward him with a look on his face that was hard to decipher. Excitement? Shock? Or was it the look of a best friend feeling betrayed?

 _Paranoid_.

"H-Hey Ned." He hoped he wasn't aware of the sudden nervousness in his voice.

"What the hell?!" Ned exclaimed.

He knew. He had to.

Ned was the worst at keeping secrets. The guy could never keep his mouth shut .. which was one of the reasons he still hadn't told him that he was Spider-Man.

Oh, and also because he could put him in danger. But the part about him being a big mouth was definitely in the top five reasons.

"Wh-"

"No!," Ned held both hands up, "Let me finish. Aunt May called me last night. Couldn't get ahold of you! Asked to talk to you and when I said you weren't with me she blew up. She ranted about how mysterious you've been lately and interrogated me like I was some criminal! I was on the phone with her for an hour ! A whole _hour_ , Peter!"

Peter couldn't help but grin.

"Why are you smiling?! This isn't funny!" Ned cried, now waving his arms all over the place.

"Ne- Hey stop! I'm sorry dude." By now Peter had grabbed onto Ned's wrists and shoved his arms back down to his sides.

"Sorry doesn't cut it." He said and then gestured Peter to walk with him to his locker.

"Where were you anyway? I couldn't get you either."

"Just walking around the city. Grabbed a hot dog. Left my phone at home."

( That was code for having his hands twisted behind his back behind a gas station while two other men tried to pry his mask off .)

Ned pressed his eyebrows together, as if he knew what came out of Peter's mouth was a load of bullshit. If he did suspect something, he decided not to say anything.

"Well you owe me. Next time we hang out, pizza is on you." Ned stopped in front of his locker and began putting in his combination.

"Sounds like a plan.. Hey um, have you heard anything? About me ?"

Now he looked really suspicious. Ned paused.

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Any rumors?" Peter asked, looking down at his hands which were suddenly very fascinating to look at.

"Just the usual from Flash. Penis Parker and the like."

Peter nodded, swallowing a lump in his throat he wasn't aware was there.

So he was in the clear. Finally, the universe was on his side. The universe finally thought , " Hey! Peter isn't so bad! He kicks ass and is like, really good at Captain America impressions. Let's do him a favor."

Maybe this was the start. Things were gonna shape up for him. The Stars were in his favor an-

"Peter!! Hey!!" He didn't even want to turn around. No, okay, this wasn't happening. Johnny was not behind him. He was dreaming. A very lucid dream. The stars were in his favor!!! The universe loved him and all that crap!

No worries. Maybe Johnny just wanted to talk in private. The school already knew they had a sort of friendship. No one would even bat an eye.

"Here comes your girlfriend." Ned mumbled.

Peter looked at him with wild eyes.

"Hey- it's just a joke. You okay?" Ned placed a hand on his shoulder and before he could answer his question with a lie, Johnny was right in front of him, beaming.

If Peter wasn't literally about to shit his pants, he would note that Johnny's hair looked even better than usual. In fact, Johnny looked fucking amazing today. A white t shirt that showed off his broad shoulders and dark jeans that hugged him in all the right pla-. He shook his head. This wasn't the time or place.

"Hi Johnny. Listen can we talk in priva-"

But it seemed like Johnny didn't hear him. Because instead of letting him finish his sentence, Johnny surged forward and captured his lips in a soft kiss.

Another middle finger from the universe.

Johnny pulled back and looked at him with a questioning expression.

"What's wrong?" He asked, a frown now planted on his face.

Peter looked around at everyone and to his surprise, no one was looking at them. They didn't even see the kiss! They were all leaning against their lockers, gathering books or racing to their next class. They hadn't seen a thing!

"Johnny just kissed you!!" Ned screamed. And Peter wasn't even exaggerating in the slightest when he says Ned full on screamed each. fucking. word.

Everyone's heads whipped around. It went silent and even a teacher standing outside of her class was soaking in what was unfolding in front of her.

"Duh. He's my boyfriend. Is that okay with you?" Johnny asked, raising his eyebrows. Suddenly, Johnny also became aware of the hundred pairs of eyes on them.

"You're dating Puny Parker?" A girl asked, half joking but also half serious.

"It's actually Penis Parker now !" A voice shouted from the down the hall. No doubt it was Flash.

"I'm dating _Peter_ , yes. Is that a problem?" Johnny asked, a noticeable trace of venom laced in his voice.

"No, not at all. But- he's like, the biggest nerd in the school. Right under Ned."

"Hey!" Ned exclaimed.

"So, you're a fag now Parker?" A voice asked.

"It's a prank! Johnny Storm would never date someone like him!"

Johnny slipped his arm around his waist.

"We should talk to someone about banning Parker from the locker room."

"Nice one Johnny! How much did someone bet you?"

Peter was such a pussy. A wimp. How come he could take down four thugs, triple his size, but then be this close to breaking down over a hallway of kids hurling hurtful things toward him? How did that work?

Tears welled in his eyes. He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't cry in front of the whole school.

In a split second Peter shoved Johnny's arm away and ran down the hallway, people's laughter ringing in his ears.

Peter ducked into the nearest closet he could , coincidentally being the one Johnny and Peter had ran into when the Beetle had infiltrated the school.

Peter covered his face with his hands and inhaled slowly, willing the tears to go away.

Peter had never done anything to anyone. Hadn't even swatted a fly or rudely corrected a kid in algebra who apparently did not listen at all to that day's lesson.

(Which was not easy but he refrained every single time.)

So he never hurt anyone. Not anyone who didn't deserve it anyway. Punching a guy square in the nose for stealing an old woman's purse evened out, didn't it?? All those people who got webbed up or sent to jail by the infamous Spidey deserved it. He did good things, he knows he did.

So why was he repaid like this?? A few days ago he sat with a ten year old kid and talked to him for forty minutes, right after he witnessed the bigger kids push him down.

Last week he saved a six year old kid from getting hit by a car. If no one was around, that kid would have died, turned into road pizza.

Peter Parker saved him. Peter Parker gave someone's son back. Someone's brother.

When would he catch a fucking break? Getting bullied everyday of his life, parents dead, Uncle Dead, Skip-

Peter grunted and raised his fist, punching the wall with all the energy he could gather.

It was so silent that his breathing sounded like roars to his ears. He looked down again at his hands for the second time that day.

Peter's hands were shaking. His knuckles were covered with drywall and bruises that were just starting to bloom.

He chewed on his bottom lip.

Peter was happy. Aunt May loved him, Ned stuck by his side, and he was Spider-Man. Yes, he was fucking Spider-Man. I mean, he wasn't the most loved hero in New York, but at least he made a difference. At least he thinks so.

Acrimonious, he could be like that. Mostly in the privacy of him room, when he would overthink things and couldn't - for the life of him- push horrific thoughts out of his mind that he just wanted to erase from his memory.

Sometimes he wondered if there was something actually like that out there. Some machine that completely wiped anything you wanted from your mind. There had to be. Secretly, he wanted to ask Tony. No one else better to ask than Iron Man. But then with that would come questions.

Anyway, Peter had his moments. Right now just happened to be one of them.

He wiped at his eyes and then scrunched up his nose.

Sore and red. His knuckles were very sore. He could wear fingerless gloves. Unless he stopped punching people and random innocent walls.

Later he would have to buy some fingerless gloves.

To sum things up, Peter wasn't one of those people who are miserable all the time. He doesn't understand why he's not like this, given that so much has happened to him.

He just has to- he can't bottle them up, his emotions. No one can. Every once in a while he has to take it out on something. For instance, the wall in his room. And more often than not, it's easier to take it out on a person. For instance, a tall broad man from two weeks ago who had a blonde girl pinned underneath him.

And he feels bad afterwards. They deserve it, absolutely. It's not as if he goes out and finds a random citizen and thinks that they need a good punch in the stomach. He's helping people while helping himself. Sort of like a therapy. A kind of fucked up therapy.

Selfish. It's selfish in his mind.

Maybe that's why bad stuff continued to happen to him.

His thoughts were interrupted by the door cracking open, just the slightest.

He wrung his hands together. Please, for the love of God, not let it be a teacher. Don't let it be the school therapist or the principle who thinks they're helping but in reality making Peter very uncomfortable.

A soft voice.

"Peter?"

Johnny.

The door shut softly behind him.

Suddenly, Peter felt warm. Extremely warm and- he couldn't put his finger on it.

Besides the powerful smell of cleaning supplies, a new scent came with Johnny's arrival.

Matchsticks , the smell of something burning. Though it was very vague, he welcomed it.

Johnny stepped forward and grasped his hand, "Are you okay?"

Peter laughed, praying that Johnny didn't notice he was crying.

"I've been better."

Johnny squeezed his hand, "I'm sorry for all those assholes out there. Really. " Another step forward and they weren't even an inch apart.

"What happened? After my dramatic exit?" Peter grinned, though the uneasy feeling in his stomach still hadn't gone away. The headache he gave himself was still there as well.

And Johnny sighed, "You know the thing my hair does?? The smoke??" Peter nodded. "Almost set off the fire alarm. Principle intervened and everyone went to class."

Something flashed across his face, just then, so fast Peter couldn't tell what it was. Johnny always acted a bit strange, and in the beginning Peter wondered why. If he was hiding something. But it still happened, continuously- so Peter had to come to the conclusion that this was Johnny Storm.

He dropped it after awhile. Even then, he still thought to himself that Johnny was very different from the interviews he binge watched. One day he would be able pinpoint what made him so different in real life.

"I wanted to-" he swallowed ," Talk in private. I don't blame you, but I wanted to just talk. I haven't had the chance to come out to anyone, and i figured I would tell my Aunt before she found out from the news."

"Pete." That was the first time he called him that. "I'm sorry. Really I'm-"

And Johnny just- brought Peter's hands to his lips and kissed them. Like it was nothing. Like it didn't make Peter's heart swell or want to jump out of his chest.

It was like some pathetic romantic comedy. The one's where the guy fucks up their anniversary date or gets the girl a pair of fuzzy socks instead of that diamond ring she's been hinting at for months. And he apologizes for the stupid shit he did and just- Was Peter Parker living a real life Romcom?

"Really. I didn't know- I had no idea. I'm so sorry. I won't let it get out, I'll talk to every single person who- I'll blackmail them and oh! Me and the family will sue TMZ just watch-"

Peter shushed him. "No- it's okay. I doubt it'll get out so fast, right? No one saw the kiss, no evidence."

Johnny nodded , "Still. I'm really sorry."

Peter smiled at him, a smile more genuine than earlier, but soon it was wiped straight off when Johnny sealed their lips together.

Warmth spreading through his whole body. Johnny's hand on his waist, nose brushing against his, with every kiss and touch he could feel the throbbing of his knuckles go away.

Acrimonious. No. Why would he be when he had Johnny, someone who genuinely cared about him.

****

The rest of the day wasn't as awful as he had imagined.

Now Johnny said he would blackmail them. Talk some sense into everyone who witnessed what went down.

He didn't actually believe him. Not for a single second. But the small scared glances he was getting from everyone said otherwise.

He felt like an animal in the zoo. No one said anything. Not one apology but oh sure- they could watch. They couldn't be bothered to listen to the geometry lesson but watch Peter like he was some alien life form ? You bet.

Home. He just wanted to go home.

As soon as the bell rang, Peter didn't even wait for Johnny. He could text him later.

When he exited the school, home was erased from his mind completely. Trouble. That's what he wanted to go look for.

And what was a day without a little trouble??

So he swung around the city. He actually did buy a hotdog, by the way, for the first time in awhile actually.

Swung around the city, that's all he did. But soon the sun went down and he figured he'd go look for something to do. To be more specific, someone to web up.

New York City. The Big Apple. The City Of Dreams. Glorious is what people would describe it as. Well, the people who A. Just came here for week's vacation and the other people who B. have only googled pictures of it.

The people who actually live here could see past the twinkling city lights. Only just a little bit. They experienced the bike messengers who knocked bags out of their hands and the annoying tourists who pointed at every single thing they saw as if it was from another planet.

Peter Parker, he saw a little more than everyone else. For instance, right at the moment he could see a fist racing toward his face.

_Crack!_

Peter stumbled backwards, back hitting the cold brick wall behind him.

"shit!" he exclaimed, and at times like these , when the crazed villain- or in this case a short 30 year old with a bag full of money- caught Peter off guard, they would stare at him for a few seconds. Because in order to keep Peter's very secret identity, he made his voice sound deeper, unrecognizable.

And at a time like this, when a punch was thrown in his direction very unexpectedly, he would forget about that because holy shit- his nose fucking hurt.

The man paused.

"How old are you?"

Peter placed both hands on his nose before muttering , "Like, 25 dude."

The guy didn't buy it.

The man placed his hands on his hips, " No way. What are you, thirteen? Wait till the daily bugle gets ahold of this." He cackled.

"I'm sorry, weren't we just fighting ? " Peter asked, making a hand gesture between the two.

The man scratched at his chin, "I guess so. But I'm more interested now in seeing what's under that little mask of yours."

It happened a lot recently. Most of the thugs he encountered lured him or last minute decided they would get his mask off if it was the last thing they did.

Peter didn't know if this guy had it planned or just came up with it on the spot.

It's not like Peter was ever worried about his identity being revealed. His mask never came off. It was sort of- glued to him. Only when he wanted it to be anyway.

He was just tired of it. Why was it so important to everyone? It's not like his secret identity was affecting anyone's lives. Just leave him be.

Peter crossed his arms. "I'm not thirteen!"

"Sounds like something a thirteen year old would say!"

Peter rolled his eyes behind his mask, "Listen. I'm not gonna stand here and argue all night with you. Are we gonna fight or what??"

"Not until you admit you're thirteen."

Who the hell was this guy?!

"I'm not!! " Peter snapped.

Okay, now he sorta did sound like a thirteen year old.

"Okay. Then you're 12. Gotta be."

Peter wasn't gonna deal with this.

"Listen man. If I tell you my age will you shut the hell up?"

The man nodded eagerly.

"Okay. Turn around." Peter said as he made a twirl movement with his finger.

The man raised his eyebrows so high they touched his hairline. "You think I'm stupid?"

Yes.

"No. I'm just shy about telling people my age. Don't want you to look at me."

Please fall for it. Please.

The man grumbled. "Alright kid."

Peter blinked. That was much easier than he thought. Peter was only surprised a bit though. Some people in New York could be so thick.

The man turned around, the bag of money still gripped tightly in his left hand, and whispered something under his breath.

Peter sighed dramatically and said," wow. How gullible can you be?"

"Hey!" Before the man could turn around Peter lunged forward, pinning him to the wall and grasping his wrist so hard that the man let out a pained moan and dropped the bag.

"Now do you go around daily and ask superheroes how old they are?" Peter shoved the man's head forward as he webbed his hands behind his back. "Like, is that you're hobby?? Personally I like to listen to music but hey, not judging."

"I'm gonna kill you!" The man yelled.  
  
About fifteen seconds later Peter finished webbing the man to the wall and looked at him in disappointment.

He pulled out his phone and dialed the cops, hurriedly pretending to be a random citizen who just happened to see Spider-Man trap a man behind a building. Turning off his phone, he looked over at the guy.

"Or is it a kink? Not kinkshaming by the way! Everyone has their thing. Though , your's is a bit odd to say the least."

The man gritted his teeth, "You think you're so funny huh? Not gonna be laughing when I break out of jail and break you're fucking neck are ya?!"

Peter flicked the man in the side of the head, "Chill, huh? I'm doing a good deed here. This-" Peter wagged the bag in front of his face. "Does not belong to you."

"I don't give a shi-"

Peter pressed his gloved finger to the man's mouth. "Be quiet. I'm just gonna wait here until I hear sirens, and then I'll be off."

"Now," Peter started, leaning against the wall and opening a new tab on his phone, "Do you know where I can buy some fingerless gloves?"

The man huffed angrily. Only a few seconds later he mumbled, "Check Amazon."

Peter's grinned so hard his face hurt. "Thanks guy who thinks I'm thirteen!"

And then the weirdest thing happened. The guy just started- talking to him. Like they were friends.

Now Peter has seen some crazy things happen. A few months ago, he had to stop a forty year old woman who knew Kung Fu from stealing a whole cart of Mt. Dew . Not that long ago, an old man dressed as an insect broke into his high school. But now the guy who possibly broke his nose wanted to make small talk?

Could this day get any stranger?

As Peter scrolled through Amazon, still not finding the right pair that screamed his name, the man watched him in interest.

Suddenly he said, "Hey. You know the human torch?"

Peter stopped scrolling.

"Not really... Why?"

"On my way here, read the craziest thing about him. He's trending on Instagram and everything. Get this: he's dating a fifteen year old boy!!"

Ignoring the fact that the man sounded exactly like Aunt May when she had new gossip about the people who lived above them , he said to the man:

"N-No kidding. What's the guy's name?"

"Something stating with a P. I want to say Paul but it could also be Phillip. Or even Pedro."

As the man started to list every goddamn name he could think of that started with a P, he wondered why Ned hasn't texted him. Or even Gwen or Harry

He checked his phone and panic started to rise up inside him. How the hell did this get out? Johnny had said something to everyone... right??

Peter wanted to jab his eyes out. All his notifications had been turned off.

Opening the message app, his fingers started to shake.

And there they were. The millions of text from his friends and peers. Peter wanted to jump off a cliff.

 _Ned: dude!! Search your name on Google right now!_  
Ned: you're like, famous!  
Ned: Peter where are you?  
Ned: someone took a picture of you guy's kissing  
Ned: before you see it, it wasn't me!  
Ned: I promise   
Ned: dude pick up the phone!  
Ned: I'm not kidding!

 _Harry: Gwen wants you to call her_  
Harry: how long has that been a thing?  
Harry: you could've told us you know   
Harry: I know we aren't that close anymore but you're like my brother   
Harry: Gwen is upset. Call her .  
Harry: Where the hell are you?  
Harry: sorry. You must be panicking right now huh? I'll get out of your hair  
Harry: bright side?? You don't look too ugly in the picture

 _Gwen: why didn't you tell us?! :(_  
Gwen: this week you're coming to talk to us  
Gwen: Pete  
Gwen: you know I'd never judge you right?  
Gwen: Johnny Storm is bit of an airhead tho isn't he  
Gwen: not judging   
Gwen: I hope you don't think I'd hate you or anything  
Gwen: please text me back   
Gwen: Peter Parker you're so dead

 _Johnny: hey, can I come over ?_  
Johnny: fuck, Idek where you live   
Johnny: I'm so sorry. I don't know how this happened   
Johnny: I hope you're okay.   
Johnny: talk as soon as you can?? Just want to know how you're feeling.   
Johnny: <3  
Johnny: was that too sappy?  
Johnny: you're okay, right?  
Johnny: I didn't mean for this to happen

Peter squeezed his eyes shut. Those were only   
some of them. He didn't even want to check his social media pages, how much people were talking about him. The spotlight has never been on him and that's the way he liked it. Yes, he was the loser of the school, but that was just high school. Johnny Storm had fan pages and was on tmz daily. He didn't want the whole city's eyes in him.

The concerning part of it all was that Aunt May hadn't called him once. Not even a simple text. Was she mad??

He opened Google and searched Peter Parker.

His heart stopped beating.

**Johnny Storm is gay?! Read About Why Every Girl in the City is mourning!  
\- TMZ .com**

**Meet Peter Parker- Boyfriend Of The One and Only Human Torch!  
\- AMP. com**

**Click here to see leaked Photo of Johnny Storm Locking Lips with High School Student!  
\- People. com**

And so he clicked the link. Ignoring the article altogether, he scrolled down until he found the picture apparently everyone had already seen. Except him.

It was clear that someone actually had witnessed the kiss. And for some stupid reason they decided to take a picture and spread it around so bad that somehow every news website got ahold of it.

If he wasn't about to vomit everywhere, he would take notice that ya, he didn't look too ugly in the picture. Definitely caught off guard, but he looked a lot better than usual.

Johnny? He looked stunning. Like always. His hand was cradling the back of Peter's neck and his eyelashes rested beautifully against his cheekbones.

Okay, so it was a good picture. Sue him.

Shaking his head, Peter raced past the man, not answering when he shouted," Hey! Where you going?!"

Peter's heart was pounding so loud he was fully convinced he was about to have a heart attack. The whole city had to be talking about him right?!  
Johnny Storm was so popular here. So loved. And up until now, Johnny had only dated women. What did everyone think of him dating a dorky fifteen year old?? What did his family think??

This isn't what he wanted. A nice sit down with aunt may over some tea is how he always imagined it. Glancing over at Gwen and Harry while he spilled his second biggest secret, that's what he pictured.

Was he overreacting?? He was only bisexual. Maybe that would be more accepting in their book. Yes, Gwen and Harry texted him that clearly said they would never judge, but it didn't stop him from feeling paranoid.

It was the second time that day that he felt like punching something until his knuckles bled.

***

He changed back into his school outfit behind his apartment building as slow as he could.

Truthfully? Peter was absolutely _terrified_.

Aunt May never really said anything about gay people or LGBT rights. Not once did he hear her say anything about the subject in all the years he lived with his aunt and uncle.

When anything to do with the LGBT community did come on on the nine o clock news, he glanced over at her. Every single time he looked to see if she reacted even a little bit.

Aunt May's expression never changed. She didn't smile or cringe in disgust. She just- sat there.

How was he supposed to read that?

Peter stuffed his suit into his backpack and slung it over his shoulder.

He breathed in. What's the worst that could happen?

It only took two minutes to get to his floor but it felt like the longest minutes of his entire life.

He didn't want anything to change. He wanted everything to stay normal and for his Aunt to still treat him like the same kid he's always been for the past fifteen years.

As he shakily reached for the door handle he could hear a door open behind him.

"Peter?" He turned his head and found himself looking at Ms. Daly, the old woman who lived across from them for as long as he could remember.

"Oh, hi Ms Daly. I'd love to talk it's just-"

She held a hand up at him, "I understand. I just wanted to say good for you! It must be hard with the press and-"

"How did you find out?" He asked, genuinely confused. She always said that she would never own a smartphone, not even a computer. He heard from the woman almost every week that the new technology rotted the brain.

She reached out and gently patted him on the arm, "Sweetie! It's all over the news!"

Peter bit the inside of his cheek and nodded. He gave her a tiny smile before finally turning the knob and entering their apartment.

Everything looked normal. The lamp sitting on the couch side table was turned on, giving the whole room an orangish glow.

And there sat his Aunt. He could only see the back of her head but she was sitting on the couch, in front of the TV which was frozen.

He sat down his backpack by the front door.

"Hey. Um, Sorry I'm late." He muttered.

"Come over here, Peter."

There was no doubt in his mind; she knew.

Peter pulled his sleeves down over his hands, not really wanting to also talk about why his knuckles were so purple.

He sat down next to her and waited.

She lifted the remote and pressed a button, automatically un pausing the TV.

"In Entertainment today, a new picture came out of nowhere of none other than Johnny Storm, member of the fantastic four, kissing another man."

"Well Kelly, I wouldn't say a man. Turns out he's kissing fifteen year old Midtown High student Peter Parker. The picture started spreading only hours ago but it's already the top trending subject on over 20 websites and apps."

"Can we get a close up of that picture please?"

The picture of Peter and Johnny covered the screen. He could feel his Aunt's eyes burning into the side of his head as tears stared to fill his eyes.

"Johnny Storm and rest of the team have refused to say anythi-" The TV went black.

Aunt May was still staring at him. He continued to look at the TV.

"Anything you want to say?" She asked.

Peter rubbed his hands on his jeans. "Are you mad?"

"Mad that you're dating a seventeen year old? Only a little. Mad that you didn't tell me? Words can't describe. "

Peter finally gathered the courage to look at her. She looked very disappointed in him.

"So- you don't care that he's... a boy?"

Aunt May's face softened and she shifted closer, wrapping her arm around his shoulders and giving him a tight squeeze.

"Of course not, Peter. Is that why you were scared to tell me??"

"Yes." He admitted.

"I don't care about that. Not in the slightest. You can tell me anything, I want you to know that. I support you one hundred and ten percent. Do you understand me?"

He nodded. And that was that. The thing he's been dreading for his whole life was over with and it went great. No screaming. No tears. It was nothing like he expected and that was fantastic.

"I just.. What about Liz?? Was that a cover up? Are you- you're gay, right?" She asked.

He bit back a laugh. " I liked Liz, honestly. But then Johnny came along and- I sorta forgot all about her."

"So.. You like both?"

"Genders?"

"That's what I'm asking Pete."

"Yes. Both."

"How long have you been dating him?" She asked.

"Not that long I promise. I told him I didn't- I wanted to tell you before the press got a hold of it but.. Things didn't work out like planned."

Another squeeze. "It wasn't your fault. I'm not- I'm not mad at you anymore. But- you really like him? Things I've heard about him.."

"He's amazing. I promise. I really like him Aunt May."

She glanced over at him. "So that means you wouldn't mind asking him to come over for dinner?"

His mouth dropped open.

No way. That was not happening! It was too soon for him to meet the family. But I guess it was only fair? Peter had met Johnny's family before they started dating, which was incredibly easy by the way.

He'd have to consult with ask.com first. Then he might consider bringing Johnny.

Oh, and he would ask Johnny too.

"Well?" She asked.

"I'll ask him. Is that okay?"

"Yes." And she started walking to the kitchen, preparing Peter the dinner that he had missed an hour ago. He was still filled up with that loaded hotdog he ate , but given that his stomach was no longer queazy , he guessed he could eat again.

She leaned against the counter and said, "He really makes you happy?"

Peter nodded enthusiastically.

Ya. He really did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys tolerated it lmao. I'm surprised this actually gets reads. Like I said, I really love the comments I get from you guys. Give me feedback it's like the one thing I look forward to. So, I don't know when the next chapter be. Sorry.


	7. So Down Low

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry this has taken so long. This weekend I just had the sudden urge to write. I know it’s short but I figured it’d be better to get out a fairly short chapter than not one at all. Sloppy writing. Sorry lmao

“The picture doesn’t look too bad does it?”

“Poor kid. His name is known by more than half the city now, innit?”

Sue swung her arm and gave Johnny a sharp slap on the side of his head. “I can’t believe you’d do this!! That poor boy!! His face all over the internet, the TV! Entertainment Tonight even did a seven minute story on it!! Words can’t describe how I am feeling right now-“

Sue was fuming to say the least. She was so angry she was to the point of almost ripping her own hair out, though it seemed she settled for repeatedly hitting Johnny on every part of his body she could reach.

“Hey, what about me?! I was in the picture too! I’m starting to think you three like him better than me!” Johnny whined.

“He is smarter.” Reed commented.

“Seems more respectful too.” Ben pointed out.

Johnny scowled before Sue let out a dramatic scoff. He inched away quickly before she could strike him on his arm for the fifth time.

“Oh please!! This city has seen more scandalous pictures of you than I think they’d like to. This is nothing different to you Johnny. But Peter? He’s never been involved in anything like this.”

“If it makes you feel better,” Johnny waved his phone in front of her face, “ I texted him a sorry.”

“JOHNATHAN LOWELL-“

Reed sighed and pushed up his glasses. Standing, he grabbed Sue’s wrist and pulled her away from beating her brother’s face to a pulp.

“Maybe it’s about time to go to bed dear?” He asked.

Reluctantly, Sue let herself get dragged down the hall and into the elevator, but even so, she did not lift the rage filled glare she kept targeted specifically at Johnny.

“She’s right ya know.” Ben grumbled.

“I really didn’t mean for any of this to happen! She’s making it seem like I was the one who took the picture.”

The past hour was filled with nothing but his phone blowing up from past ex’s and Ben flipping channel to channel to show Johnny that this was clearly getting more press coverage than it should.

Johnny hadn’t bothered looking down at his phone for the past two minutes. Hundreds were coming in from girl’s whose names he didn’t even recognize. No matter how douchey it sounded, he wasn’t afraid to admit that all his flings seemed to blend together.

The first one came from a girl that he either met in a club last year or from a different girl he met last Monday at a dingy coffee shop, and to say the text message didn’t get his blood boiling was the understatement of the century.

_Johnny, I just wanted to say that I forgive you for the way you acted the short time we spent together. You were battling with your own sexuality and I completely understand that now. So proud of you for coming out!_

The way he acted? What did that mean? He was a complete gentleman to her at the coffee shop. Or the night club. Then again, it could be the girl he picked up at a party he crashed right before they left the city for the year.

He worked the gears in his brain for fifteen minutes trying to remember if he had mistreated any girl he fooled around with recently , but nothing came up. It was then that he decided that he should really keep a book by his bed to record all his hookups.

After Johnny finished reading it he almost sent something back to her. When had he come out of the closet? A picture of him kissing a boy was a thousand times different than him making a public statement that he was into men.

Not that he was.

He simply deleted the text, remembering to not feed into it. To not give her what she clearly wanted: attention. Why else would she be texting a man she knew for a night.. a weekend?

Johnny wouldn’t even doubt that she was texting him merely for details that she could sell to any newspaper or tv show that would pay for them.

And the next thirty text messages following were exactly like that.

How many “ you didn’t tell me you liked men! “ texts did he have to see pop up on his screen before he chucked his phone out the window?!

“I know,” Ben sighed, “ but ye gotta admit the thing you doing to the boy is pretty nasty. You could at least make it good fer him.”

“ I am!” Johnny protested.

“No ya ain’t. Have you called him?”

“I te-“

“Have you made any calls to all the newspapers and tv shows?”

“I’m-“

“The answer is no. You haven’t even made one effort to get that picture down.” Ben said.

Johnny could feel his hair start to smoke.

He was definitely not going to waste his time making calls to E! News or ask the editor to take down the article they had already released down at The Daily Globe.

What difference would it make? It was everywhere. Saved on half the city’s camera roll, a trending hashtag on every social media he could think of. Hell, it was a fucking Twitter moment.

So no thank you. Johnny Storm would not spend hours trying to get a stupid picture down that everyone had already seen. Peter would get over it. Everyone was acting like Peter’s life was over or something, as if it was equivalent to a naked picture of him.

“So you know what you’re going to do?” Ben grabbed the remote and turned the tv off.

Johnny glared.

“You’re gonna go to your room. You’re gonna call that boy, instead of leaving pathetic text messages, and you’re gonna apologize , because I know you’re too much of a _wimp_ to say it in person,” Johnny opened his mouth, “and _mean it_.”

“I’m going to sleep. Make the right choice or don’t.” And then Ben left him standing there, red in the face, flames rising from his blond hair.

Ben wasn’t Sue, and he was certainly not his dad. He had no right to tell Johnny what to do. If Ben cared so much, why not call himself? Send a gift basket anonymously?

Johnny made sure to slam the door to his room extra loud that night.

Back pressed against his door, he flipped his phone around in his hands and frowned, wondering why he was even considering it.

But then again, maybe Ben had a point?

The whole point of this mission: be nice, gain his trust, and obtain his most important secret.

Surely making a nice phone call would help with that, right ?

He sighed and dialed his number.

Johnny almost hung up until Peter answered on the last ring.

Johnny sat up in bed and perked up. He could do this. His acting in the closet today was spot on. Surely sounding genuine over the phone would be a piece of cake.

And maybe most of it wasn’t acting. Johnny didn’t particularly care for the kid. Nothing about him interested him. He hated him for only one day not too long ago, but even that died out. No hate , no love. But one thing he felt for him?

Pity.

Johnny was genuine when he said he felt bad for him. His life was full of more tragedies than anyone he’s met. He could think about that and bam! It sounded like he cared about the kid.

Johnny knew that made him a sickening person.

Again: he couldn’t really bring himself to care.

Johnny didn’t want to care. Caring about someone other than Ben and reed and Sue was too difficult. It was easy for him not to.

Johnny Storm would stab himself in the leg before he admitted, that every now and then since this whole mess had started, he felt something stir inside him. But it had to pity, didn’t it?

So that’s what he said to himself.

“Hi.” Was all Peter said.

Johnny blinked. This was not what he had been expecting. More like a, “How’d this happen?! You said you talked to people! You said this wouldn’t even reach the newspapers!”

“Are you okay?” Is what came out of his mouth.

“Don’t worry about me,” A shaky breath, “ How are you doing?”

“I’ve been through this kind of thing more times than anyone can count.”

“Mm.”

“I’m sorry Peter.”

Peter chuckled. “don’t apologize. You’re famous here, if I thought nothing like this would happen I’d have to be the most naive guy on the planet.”

“And your Aunt?”

“She’s okay. We’re okay. I promise, everything is fine. Just not used to seeing my face everywhere is all.”

Johnny switched the phone to his other ear. “It’ll all blow over by tomorrow.”

“Mm now you’re being naive.” Peter said.

Johnny almost laughed. “I guess you’re right.”

“It’s just - I’m more worried about the assholes at school than the entirety of the city. Is that weird?” He asked.

Johnny shook his head , realizing then that Peter could not see him. “No, not at all...You should skip tomorrow.”

“I don’t know if I c-“

A lightbulb went off above his head. “Pretend you’re sick. Come over to my place.”

Peter sighed. “That sounds a lot better than school.”

Johnny shifted on his bed. Pity. It’s pity.

“Please?” False desperation was thick in his voice.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Cool. I’ll call you in the morning?” Johnny asked.

“Okay. Goodnight.” Peter sounded tired. It was still pretty early, but Johnny could understand why peter sounded like he was up at 3AM when it was only 10PM.

“Night.” Johnny hung up.

In all honesty, Johnny was not looking forward to his time with Peter tomorrow. He hadn’t been alone with Peter for longer than an hour. The dinner they had didn’t count, Sue and Reed and Ben were there. The incident in his room didn’t count, because if Johnny recalls, they didn’t do much talking.

He coughed.

Johnny really really wanted this whole thing to be over. He wanted to pick a side. It exhausted him. Mentally.

Kissing Peter, he liked it.

He felt guilty when he read his file.

And then again, he didn’t care about the picture, about how Peter would feel. He felt okay manipulating the boy, but then on the other hand he felt himself worrying about what Peter thought of his room the other night.

It pissed him off that he couldn’t bring himself to care about what the kids at school said about Peter. It pissed him off that Peter sent a shiver up his spine by simply pecking him on the cheek. Everything about the kid confused him. He couldn’t gather his thoughts, couldn’t organize them.

It was settled, that he didn’t care about him. But when Peter simply smiled at him, causing his chest to tighten, that simply wasn’t the case.

But he would keep telling himself that, because it wasn’t hard. Because 100% of the time, he swears he didn’t feel anything for him. Simply seeing his face did nothing for him. His voice did nothing for him.

It was only rare occasions that Johnny felt his heart thud.

It made him angry, and that was an easy emotion.

Peter made him angry.

****

Johnny squinted and could see the time on his alarm clock read 5:36AM.

He threw the covers back and searched the darkness of his room, wondering if there was a reasonable explanation as to why he’s woken up at this ungodly hour.

He ran his hands through his hair and fell back into his pillow, the sound of his air conditioner lulling him back to sleep.

“Sit back up Johnny.” His lamp flickered back on and Johnny shrieked, attempting to jump out of bed.

Feet seemingly tangled in his silk sheets, he fell to the floor with a loud crash. He scrambled off the floor as soon as he hit it, wondering why in the hell someone was in his room watching him sleep.

He rubbed at his eyes and reopened them.

The nameless agent sat on his desk chair, sunglasses covering his eyes and hands clasped together over a black duffle bag. Was there anything more douchey than wearing sunglasses at night ?

“What are you doing in my room?!” Johnny snapped.

“Don’t ask stupid questions , Mr. Storm. You think I don’t watch TV? Check my phone?” His monotonous voice caused Johnny to choose his words carefully.

“Before you say anything else, please hear me out-“

“I hope what you were doing with him in that picture has to do with our little operation, yes?”

Johnny simply nodded.

The man stared at him. “Well? Go on. I need updates.”

“I figured if ya know, I made it seem like I was into him, this whole thing would be a lot easier for the both of us.”

“Mhm. When is the next time you’ll be seeing him?” The man unzipped his bag.

“Uh tomorrow... we’re skipping school- what’s that?” Johnny raised his eyebrows as the man pulled a long black wire out of the bag.

“We are now going to start recording the time you spend with the boy. In this bag is wiring, small microphones , and a manual on how to wire yourself right. I will come every Sunday and pick up whatever you have had recorded.”

“But it’s not like I’m going to get the info out of him right away. This stuff takes time.”

“We have faith in you Johnny.” The man said.

“Who’s ‘we’?” Johnny asked.

“Johnny, you can’t honestly think I’m the only one working on this. Here is your equipment. I will be on my way now.” He sat the duffle bag on Johnny’s bed and made his way to the door.

“Wait-how’d you get in anyway?” Johnny half shouts.

“You have a very poor security system.” And that was that.

He made sure to lock his door this time.

Johnny wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Recording every thing he said to Peter? What if he said something embarrassing? What if everyone who was working operation parker laughed at Johnny’s poor attempts at acting?

He sighed- at least it was just microphones. Johnny didn’t know how he’d react if the man insisted on setting up cameras in his house. He would have had to say no. If Sue discovered a small camera in one of their potted planets, that would be the end of it for him. She would either kick him out of the house, or murder him in cold blood.

Johnny sighed and dropped the bag to the floor, kicking it under his bed and then unplugging his bedside lamp.

What gave that guy the right to just hack their system and walk right into his room? How long was he sitting in here anyway?

Johnny looked around the dark room for a second.

Could he have set up cameras without waking Johnny up?

There goes his sleep.

*****

It was around 9AM when he was finally done searching his room, the bathrooms , and the lounge. He searched the plants, between books, in the light bulbs, and searched every corner of the shower to make sure they hadn’t hid some waterproof camera the size of a speck of dust that no one would see at first glance.

Nothing. Johnny was not relieved in the slightest. He would have rather found mini cameras. Now he was splayed across the couch wondering if he missed anything. They could have very well hidden them in their pillows too. He’d like to cut them open, but Johnny wouldn’t have a good explanation as to why he had scissors stuck in their beige couch cushions at nine in the morning.

A light rap on the door and Johnny whipped his head around, praying that it wasn’t the man coming back with more wires and booklets.

He shoved himself off their couch and tip toed to the door, not wanting to wake up his family if it indeed was the man again. But why would he knock if he could easily walk in and out without a problem?

“Who is it?” Johnny asked, hand on the doorknob.

“Mailman.” Came Peter’s voice.

Johnny cursed under his breath. He forgot about Peter coming over. Wasn’t it human decency to text before someone arrived at your house anyway?

Johnny opened the door and put on a smile. “I didn’t know if you were coming or not.”

“I texted you, but you didn’t answer. I‘m sorry I sho-“ Johnny curled his hand around Peter’s wrist.

“No - I guess I left my phone in my room. Camped out here last night,” he motioned behind him at the blanket and pillows thrown around on the couch, “couldn’t sleep.”

“Me neither.” Peter said, and yes, that was evident.

He had dark rings under his eyes and it seemed like all he did was run his fingers through his hair and walk out the door. His torn backpack was slung over his right shoulder and he was wearing a faded blue NASA t-shirt.

Johnny wasn’t sure what now. Kiss him? Give him a hug? What were they even going to be doing today?

Johnny moved aside to let Peter walk in, the only noise being Peter’s shoes on the hardwood surface. Johnny shut the door softly and said, “We’ll have to be quiet. Everyone is still sleep-“ and Johnny guessed that in Peter’s mind, that was the perfect time to stand on he tips of his toes and plant a soft kiss on his lips.

Johnny instinctively wrapped his arms around the younger boy’s waist to keep him in place.

Peter’s eyelashes brushing against Johnny’s cheek was somehow already a familiar feeling. He smelled of green apple shampoo and cheap cologne and his hands were gently placed on both sides of Johnny’s face.

Peter pulled back only to lean forward again and rest his forehead against Johnny’s. His eyes were closed and Johnny took the time to scan Peter’s face.

Besides a scar under his left eye, the boy was blemish free. A whole expanse of soft pale skin that Johnny itched to reach out and touch.

He fisted his hand in Peter’s shirt.

Peter smiled. “I’m really tired.”

And in that moment, Johnny finally decided what was going on.

When Peter was here, he found himself wanting to touch the boy. To kiss him and do everything a stupid sickly sweet couple would do on some hallmark movie.

When he wasn’t around, he just didn’t care. Didn’t want to think about him when he didn’t have to. It’s not like Parker had gotten under his skin. He didn’t find himself thinking about him every second, you wouldn’t be seeing Johnny scribbling Peter’s name in his notebook or writing it in flames across the sky.

It was so different when he was in front of him though. Johnny’s whole demeanor changed and for the first time he found himself pushing aside his very confusing and very annoying thoughts about his own sexuality and thinking - screw it.

Peter’s skin pressed against his- at the time- made him feel content, but later on, when he would be sitting alone in his room, Johnny would bet his life that he would look back and think why the fuck did he let peter get so close to him?

Were his thoughts still confusing? One hundred percent. But at least he could organize some of them.

And it wasn’t like it made any difference. Enjoying a few things with the boy didn’t cloud his judgement, didn’t stop him from thinking about the end goal here: reveal he’s spider-man, and collect the prize money.

He could have fun, right? Shouldn’t he be happy? He found some kind of enjoyment with the boy now, something he never would have suspected when he first went into this whole situation.

“You and me both.” Johnny let his lips graze over Peter’s jawline. “We could take a nap, if you wanted.”

Peter simply nodded and let out a noise of content.

“C’mon.” Johnny mumbled. Leading peter to his bedroom, he shut the door behind him and locked it.

The click of the lock caused peter to raise his eyebrows before falling on his stomach on the bed.

Johnny crawled in soon after and said, “Unfortunately, me locking the door is so Sue doesn’t try any bother us while we’re sleeping. Though I’m sure whatever you had in mind could be planned for the near future.”

“Can’t wait.” Is what peter mumbled before his eyes fluttered shut and he was out like a light.

Johnny wondered why peter was so tired. Did the whole picture scandal really cause him to lose sleep? Or was he out doing something else?

Johnny chewed on his lip before pulling out his phone and searching Spider-Man into the google search engine.

Countless news articles showed up. Mostly from the daily bugle that had the words “menace” , “a threat to the city” and “evil criminal”. And that was all in one headline.

_Maybe put a little more time into the headlines, Jameson._

Not even three seconds later of scrolling and Johnny found a news article published early this morning that confirmed what Peter had been doing last night.

The news article stated that a small sandwich job had been broken into last night, around 3AM, by four men dressed in all black.

Johnny almost laughed because - who the hell was out robbing a sandwich job that late? And why a sandwich job? Did they know how many banks and convenient stores were that city?

They apparently had broken the window and jumped in, attempting to steal the cash along with the whole cash register and why not? There’s money, but do you know how much cash registers are worth these days? Well, Johnny didn’t , but he could bet that they did.

One eye witness said they were dialing nine one one when spider-man had came out of nowhere and took the large men down in a matter of seconds. He fled the scene and left the men webbed to the counter and tables.

Johnny figured that Spider-Man - Peter - would have learned by now that fleeing the scene was not beneficial on his part. It made him seem like he was in on it, that he was the one who conducted the whole robbery. Why not leave a note? Write something out in his webbing? Just a “ sorry I couldn’t stick around. Here’s your criminals. No need to thank me!”

If he wanted to, Johnny could visit the daily bugle website and probably find an article about the wall crawling menace sinking as low as to rob a sandwich shop!!

Not being back long, Johnny picked up fairly quickly that the daily bugle only made money because they wrote so much about Spider-Man. They were the go-to newspaper if you wanted to find out what the vigilante was up to that day.

Even though the newspaper hadn’t said one positive thing about the hero since he popped up in New York, no one liked to read what any other newspaper had to say about him because The Daily Bugle always provided high quality pictures of Spider-Man. Top of the line snapshots of him climbing walls or choking a bad guy with his thighs that you couldn’t see anywhere else.

He wondered what New York City would think of the pictures if they knew that in reality they were just quick selfies.

But no matter how hard Johnny laughed at the thought of Parker setting up a tripod and taking pictures of himself, he was a very good photographer. Some of the best pictures he’s ever seen.

How could he of afforded a camera that good anyway? Maybe he was renting or borrowing it.

Johnny glanced over at Peter, chest rising up and down with every soft breath he took. How long would he be sleeping?

It’s not like he could go anywhere, as much as he’d like to go his friend’s coffee shop and grab a bagel.

He couldn’t take the risk of leaving, for Sue and Ben and Reed could easily stumble into his room and find the fifteen year old drooling on his favorite pillow. Or peter waking up himself and finding the file or the bag of wires.

He guessed he could find out how to wire himself up. Maybe go back to sleep.

He looked at the floor and back at the bed.

He’d go for the latter.

******

And when Johnny woke up he found that he was all alone in his room .

Peter was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Down Low by the Elms y’all should listen to it. Three more chapters left and I actually have them all planned out and the next chapter has already been written a little. But anyway if y’all have heard marvel bought the rights to FF! I’m so excited to see Johnny storm on screen and I hope you all are too!


	8. Youth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fuck. Me. The reason it wouldn’t let me post was because I had emoji’s in the story? AND IT WASNT EVEN CRINGE IT WAS A GOOD BIT AB PETER SENDING A SHARK EMOJI. smh. So If anyone who made it here early, you would have seen that I had a lot of difficulties posting the chapter. I’m so sorry but I’m glad I finally got it up. It’s not very good but eh,, There’s two chapters left and an epilogue. I hope you enjoy and please leave feedback. still salty ab the shark emoji tho.

Peter’s first thought when he woke up was that it was extremely hot. Staring up at the ceiling fan that was spinning, he wondered why it still felt like a sauna in his room. He began to sit up in bed when he looked down at his sheets. Scratch that- someone else’s sheets.

He picked at a thread of silk while he racked his brain. He couldn’t afford sheets like this. His were a faded blue that he had gotten from goodwill five years ago. Speaking of which, he could really use a new bed set.

Peter’s brain always moved at an excruciatingly slow pace when he first woke up. It took him almost five minutes to realize the arm pressed against his body. Then it took him only two minutes to realize all he had to do was look to his right and realize it was Johnny Storm who was making the room feel like one hundred degrees.

He was at the Baxter Building. In Johnny’s bed. On a school day.

Johnny’s face was smushed into the pillow, mouth hanging open and drooling. His hair was everywhere and his legs were tangled with Peter’s - which peter had just noticed by the way.

Everything in his brain was telling him to lay back down and sleep for at least another hour. His phone buzzing beside him said otherwise.

Picking up his phone, he pressed it to his ear, not even bothering to check who it was.

“Hel-“

“How fast can you make it to the avengers tower?” Tony rushed out.

Peter furrowed his brow. Tony Stark had never called him. He didn’t even answer his millions of text messages!

“I-What?”

“I said-“

“Ya- I heard you. Care to explain or?” Peter asked.

“You gonna make me explain myself or are you gonna get over here?”

Peter sighed before throwing the sheets back and slowly sliding out of bed.

“I’ll be there but-“ Click. Tony hung up on him.

Peter rolled his eyes and shoved his phone in his pocket. He looked at Johnny. He wondered if he should leave a note. Or wake him up. By the looks of it though, it didn’t seem like Johnny would have appreciated being woken up just to be told that Peter was leaving.

A text would have to suffice.

Peter chewed on his lip before he leaned forward and kissed Johnny on the cheek.

Johnny grumbled and buried his face further into his own drool stained pillow.

Looking back one more time, Peter slowly slipped out of the room and shut the door behind him.

*****

Given that the Baxter Building was in close proximity to the Avengers tower (Which Peter had no idea _why_ Tony still called it that. The Avengers weren’t even a thing anymore. Unless Peter was missing out on something), it took all but three minutes to swing over.

Landing on the side of the building, he looked inside and watched Tony mix a margarita. Peter glanced at his digital wristwatch. One in the afternoon. Jesus.

Peter tapped on the window; Tony continued to stand there , mixing his drink. Sighing, he rapped his knuckles harder. Nothing.

Peter let out a frustrated groan before he slapped his hand as hard as he could against the glass window over and over until Tony turned around and said something to himself. Probably something along the lines of “Son of a Bitch.”

Tony set down his drink and walked over, opening the window with a frown on his face.

“Took you long enough-“ Peter started to crawl in when Tony shut the window half way on his legs.

“Hey! What was that for?” Peter grimaced, still struggling to get inside.

“Can you ever come in the right way? There’s a thing called a front door.” Tony scolded.

“Mr. Stark c’mon!”

“Next time, use the front door, like a normal person.”

Peter rolled his eyes. Like there was anything normal about him.

“Okay ! I promise I’ll use the door next time.” Tony opened the window and let him in.

“Why does it matter anyway?” Peter grumbled. He slipped his phone out of his pocket and began to type out an explanation to Johnny.

_Peter: My Aunt May called and came home early, realized I wasn’t there. Had to go home. Maybe we could see each other later? Hope you sleep well!_

“Texting someone special?” Tony raised his eyebrows and took a sip of his concoction.

“Nah, just my aunt.” Peter lied.

“Mm. Your aunt.”

“My aunt.” He repeated. Peter had no idea where this was going. If Tony just asked him here to interrogate him on minuscule things, he would have stayed in bed.

“Not your,” Tony swirled the ice cubes in his glass, “Boyfriend? Or anything like that?”

And if Peter hadn’t been able to stick to walls and lift a truck, Tony Stark asking him about his boyfriend would have been the weirdest thing in his entire lifetime.

Peter sputtered, “What?!”

“Johnathan Lowell Spencer Storm. Human Torch. Part of the Fantastic Four- who are clearly way over their heads by the way.” Tony said.

“I-Ya, he’s my boyfriend. So- what? You called me over to ask me about Johnny?” Peter asked.

“No. Just making small talk.” Tony grinned.

If this was the small talk, Peter didn’t want to get to the actual reason Tony wanted him here.

“Okay...” He said slowly.

“So- how’s that going? You and the Matchstick Boy.” Tony asked, setting down his drink on the counter and turning back to look at Peter.

“Good.” What else was he supposed to say? Tony didn’t actually expect for him to flop down on his sofa and start spouting out everything he felt about Johnny. Did he?

“Pretty Boy ain’t he? Air head. Hadn’t even finished scho-“

“He went back. He’s doing good.” Peter crossed his arms.

It was beyond him why Tony cared about him and Johnny. Or their relationship at all. There was a sense of bitterness on the tip of his tongue every time he said something about Johnny- and he had only said two things about him!

“Okay come on. On to the topic at hand-,” Tony cut himself off before he continued, “You know he’s seventeen right?”

“Really? I thought he was at least a decent forty.” Peter replied.

“Just seems a bit old is all I’m saying.” Tony held up his hands in front of him.

“Why does it matter? I’m almost sixteen. And why do you care?! You aren’t my dad!”

“Hey- no one said I was!” Tony said. He patted the stool beside him, “Okay okay, sit down and let me tell you why I wanted you here.”

Peter sat down and gestured for Tony to begin.

“So don’t freak out- THERES a reason I never told you. But awhile back , a few assholes in cheap suits came to my door and started asking about you.”

“Me? What about?” Peter asked, suddenly very invested.

“Your GPA - Jesus, what do you think?” Tony snapped.

Peter’s eyes widened. “You mean-“

“Started asking about you. The fact you take pictures of Spider-Man from time to time which I still don’t approve of. Draws more attention than I’d like but anyway- they were dead set on proving you were Spider-Man.” Tony said.

Peter looked down at the countertop. Peter was pretty good at keeping the whole Spidey thing a secret. His aunt had no idea, his loud mouth of a friend didn’t know, and it’s not like he planned on telling Johnny.

He never let any of those idiots pull of his mask. He never took off his mask, no matter the circumstances. How in the hell did two mysterious men know he was Spider-Man? Out of the thousands and thousands of people in New York?!

“I- Should I be worried?” Peter swallowed.

Completely ignoring his question, Tony said, “I told them to fuck off. Slammed the door in their face. Security camera took pictures of them but I looked through SHIELD, every past SHIELD member. They have to work alone. I don’t know why they’re so keen on putting a face to the mask, but I didn’t think anything of it. Until last night, when the same two men came here and asked me the same thing. ‘Do you know anything about Peter Parker, Are you in close relations with Spider-Man, Can you tell us anything about Peter Parker and if he has anything mysterious going on’. Slammed the door in their face and told them to fuck off. Fuckin’ Deja Vu.” Tony downed his drink in one gulp.

“Okay. What should I do?” Peter asked, fear clearly evident in his voice.

“I have no idea. I really don’t know what to do at this point. I saw them today, outside the building. Saw them three hours ago, standing on the sidewalk. From now on, until I get this solved, no more swinging around just to get from place to place. Spider-Man duties only. And don’t say anything to your boy toy about it. I’m having Happy keep a close eye on you. Until this- whole thing gets figured out. Understand?”

Peter nodded. “Good talk.”

“You don’t think they’ll try and hurt May, do you? Or Johnny?”

Tony scoffed, “Johnny is made out of fire. I’m sure he can take care of himself. And speaking of May, I’ll have people watching out for her. Just- don’t do anything stupid.”

“Thanks Mr. Stark, really. I’m- I Think I’m just gonna head back to my house.”

“That reminds me, shouldn’t you be at school?” Tony asked.

Peter was gonna have to lie through his teeth. Again.

“Eh- holiday.”

“No holidays.”

“Teacher’s meeting.”

“Didn’t read about any of that in Midtown High’s Weekly News.”

“Sick.”

“You look fine to me.”

Peter grumbled. Since when did Tony become his dad? And not even a cool one. No, Tony wasn’t a dad. More like a very strict and lame mother.

And why did Tony read his school newspaper?!

“Okay- Johnny asked me to skip today. I was at his house before I came here.” Peter said.

Tony stood up and placed a hand on his back, a gesture that told Peter to stand up and walk wherever Tony led him.

“We need honesty, kid. I’m gonna have to know where you are if I need to come and kick some ass. Those cheap suits could be following you anywhere.”

“Ya, I get it. I’m sorry.” Peter mumbled. Tony opened the door.

“I’m gonna try and get a handle on this. Get those assholes in jail or something. Keep your guard up, okay? And Peter?”

Peter stepped into the hallway and turned around,” Ya?”

“Use a damn door.” And that was when Tony slammed the door in his face.

As he stepped into the elevator, he checked his messages and realized Johnny hadn’t even read his text message yet.

Maybe he could sneak over and pretend nothing had happened.

It would be nice to just lay down and try and forget that a pair of creepy men were tracking his every move.

Peter pressed the elevator button and planned on walking back to the Baxter Building.

Walking.

That’s something he was gonna have to get used to.

****

When Peter stood at the door, he froze; he totally forgot they had a whole security system. Similar to Tony’s , where a robotic voice would ask your name and do a whole body scan before you were let inside.

The Baxter Building didn’t have so much as a robotic computer system. They did have one, but it didn’t speak. What did the speaking was a chubby security guard named Ethan.

“Peter Parker?” The man asked, looking down at a beat up clipboard that was practically taped together.

“Uh, yes.” Peter shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Head on up.” He jabbed his pen to the double doors and continued to stare down at the papers.

Confused, Peter pushed open the doors and looked back at the guy, spotting a few pictures for only a second on a sheet of white paper.

For being the Fantastic Four, they could use a better security system. Or at least some guy who didn’t have a clipboard or earbuds in.

Peter prayed Susan and Reed and Ben were still in their own rooms, or had already went out and started their day. He just wanted to lay next to Johnny and try and forget about school and his Aunt and the Spider-Man obsessors.

Opening the door, he peeked inside and realized it was still as quiet as it was when he first arrived.

The lights were still off, the sun being the only thing illuminating the kitchen and living room area.

He closed the door as softly as he could and Tip Toed across the hardwood floor.

He turned the doorknob and pushed it open the rest of the way. Looking inside, Johnny was sat up in bed, staring at his phone. Fuck.

Peter stood there, staring at him between the crack until Johnny noticed the ajar door.

“Hey, I was just about to text you.” He said.

Peter didn’t move.

“C’mere.” Johnny laughed and waved him over.

Peter dropped his backpack to the floor and kicked off his sneakers before he sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Johnny to say something.

Johnny sat down his phone and gave Peter a once over. He proceeded to pat the bed one more time.

Peter moved closer and Johnny wrapped his arm around his shoulders, pressing a kiss into his cheek and laying back down.

“Everything okay with your Aunt?” Johnny asked. “I hope I didn’t get you in trouble.”

Peter scoffed and curled up next to Johnny’s side. “I have a feeling you’ll be getting me into a lot of trouble.”

Johnny grinned. “That didn’t answer my question.”

As Peter nuzzled into the side of Johnny’s neck he tried to think of what he was going to say.

“She- I just told her I was on a walk. Needed some air.”

“And where does she think you are now?”

“I uh- told her I was meeting you for coffee.”

Peter grimaced each time he had to lie to Johnny. They’d only been together for a few days and he had already lost track of the amount of times he’s lied to him.

But it was for his own good, right?

He hadn’t known Johnny long. He still didn’t know if he was good at keeping secrets, or if he’d be pissed off that he wasn’t told right away.

It was for the best. Maybe a year from now, if they were still together, Peter would tell him.

The thing was that Johnny was a superhero too. With a whole superhero family. That’s more than Peter had. An Aunt who cooked burnt casserole every night? Not so super.

Although, he did have Tony. But was Tony even a match for a man who could light himself on fire, another dude who was five hundred pounds, a tall lanky nerd who could grab a drink from the down town coffee shop without even leaving the couch, and a woman who could make herself invisible at will?

If Peter asked Tony, Tony would probably say he could take all of them down in a second.

And maybe he could. During their conversation that day, Tony didn’t seem to keen on discussing Johnny or the team at all. Could something have gone down between the two groups? A fight is bond to happen if there’s two teams of heroes in the same city and basically on the same street.

What he meant is that he is more than sure that Johnny could hold his own weight if one of Peter’s psycho enemies tried to come after him.

It would be different with Johnny. Eventually, Peter would trust him. And he could tell Johnny, without fear and worry holding him down, without constantly thinking about Johnny getting home safe like he is with Aunt May.

He wondered if Johnny would ever lie to him. Or if he already had.

“Any chance I’ll ever meet the woman herself?” Johnny asked, completely running Peter’s train of thought off track.

“Absolutely.” Peter answered.

Johnny hummed and looked into Peter’s eyes. “When?”

”Whenever you want.”

“How about tonight?” Johnny asked.

Peter felt himself stiffen. Tonight ? That was so soon. He had no idea if he was ready for May to confront him in person.

And god- there was no way they were sitting down for dinner without May giving them ‘The Talk’. Every time, every single time he had talked about Liz, she said “If you ever bring that girl home, I want to talk to you guys about being safe.”

Peter was sixteen! Well- fifteen- but what was the difference anyway? Like he was saying- he was fifteen, he wasn’t ready for sex! Not that he hadn’t thought about it, but it was all just daydreams.

Peter was a nerd who got excited over legos and raised his hand to every question in class. It never crossed his mind that he would even have the chance to hook up with someone. It didn’t seem like anyone would even want to be with him.

When he said he had not planned nor did he plan on doing anything in the future, he was being honest.

But that’s when his mind was clear and not all fogged up as soon as Johnny kissed him.

“Hey- don’t pull a muscle there.” Johnny said, “Relax, we don’t have to if you’re not ready.”

“No- I’ll text her. It’s fine really! She’s just- a lot at first.” Peter said.

Peter: is it alright if we have dinner tonight? You can meet Johnny?

Peter was pretty sure there was some kind of rule that went along with this. Something about “Meeting the parents is something you do after this many months!” Or “ Only introduce them to your family after five dates!” That was the normal dating standard right?

Then again, there wasn’t anything normal about their relationship. Johnny could heat up a bowl of popcorn with his hand and Peter could sleep upside down for twelve hours.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Johnny rubbed his arm. Peter turned on his side and decided against saying anything else. Yes, Peter was positive the whole dinner thing would go smoothly. The worst thing that could happen would probably be Johnny setting something on fire or Peter having a massive panic attack. Peter could try and keep his worries at bay for at least a few hours.

“Anything you should warn me about beforehand though?” Johnny asked. Peter blinked up at him, almost wanting to put his fingers to his chin and ponder his question if his arm wasn’t trapped under his own body.

“Try to avoid the fact that you’re seventeen as much as you can.”

“See, I don’t understand what the big deal is”, Johnny replied, “Age is just a number.”

Peter’s eyes crinkled and his chest rumbled with laughter. “That’s exactly what every old creep says. Life motto.”

Johnny’s lips formed into a pout before knocking his ankle against Peter’s. “I’m not old and I’m certainly not a creep!”

“Sure about that?”

“Shut up!” Johnny whined.

As another kiss was pressed into his other cheek, face burning hot, a ping! echoed in the room and Peter searched the sheets for his phone.

“You’re all red.” Johnny slurred.

“Be quiet, you’re distracting me from my mission.”

“Check under you.”

“If it was under me, I’d feel it.”

“It’s probably underneath you.”

“It’s most definitely not.”

“Bet ya six dollars and eighteen cents.”

Peter paused and looked over at him. “Oh ya, I have that exact odd amount of money in my wallet. Let me go get it.”

Two more kisses. “Just check under you, will ya? The whole world wont explode, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Peter threw back another sheet. “Oh but that’s exactly what’ll happen. If I get up for no reason and look for my phone which is most definitely not underneath me, the planet’s gonna split right down the middle.” He grinned when Johnny shoved his shoulder.

“You’re infuriating.” Johnny said.

Reaching toward the end of the bed, his hand came into contact with what felt exactly like his phone.

Peter waved it in his hand and Johnny’s lips turned downward. “What’d I tell ya?” Peter teased.

He turned on his phone, greeted with a new notification.

May: So excited!!! Come around six!! Baby pictures will be in full force !

Peter could scream.

“Heading over around six.” Peter said.

“Can’t wait.” Johnny replied.

In the process of typing his aunt back a lengthy threat about how he would run away if she brought out the baby book that was just dedicated to bath tub snapshots, Johnny began kissing the side of his face like his life depended on it.

Peter still wasn’t even close to getting used to affection that came with their relationship. Unfortunately, Peter wasn’t as bold as Johnny. He was almost jumping out of his shoes when he mustered up the courage to lean up and kiss Johnny earlier that day, but he had a feeling that Johnny was gonna be the hand holder/forehead kissing person.

It also didn’t help that every time Johnny kissed him, his whole face turned the exact shade of his spidey suit.

“You’re like a dog.” Peter snorted.

“You’re cute.” Johnny kissed the corner of his lips. “And your face is really hot.”

“Thanks for the compliment.” He murmured.

“No, I mean your face feels like it’s going to spontaneously combust if I kiss you one more time.” Peter wanted to punch him.

“It totally does not.” Peter protested. Johnny grabbed his arm before he could turn on his side in mock outrage.

Peter tried not to squirm under Johnny’s gaze. When Johnny raised his hand and rubbed his thumb against Peter’s cheek, he wondered if he had saved a village in a past life. How else would he have gotten- this. Happiness and a cute boyfriend.

Truthfully, Peter didn’t believe he had saved anyone in a past life- if those existed. The life, the one he had now, it was specially reserved for saving lives every single day. ( But in his opinion, he always believed he was an octopus with seven tentacles or a Siamese cat that belonged to a rich family in Maine).

“You’re such a fuckin’ nerd.” Johnny said and then his lips were crashing into Peter’s.

****

It was around 5:30 when the panic really set in. Untangling himself from Johnny’s arms and legs, he jumped up and slid across the floor to the dresser.

As he rummaged through the drawers, looking for clothes that wouldn’t make Aunt May raise an eyebrow, Johnny kicked the blanket off of him and dramatically sighed. “Come back over here and lay with me.”

Peter pulled out a shirt and inspected it before throwing it on the bed. “What do you think I’ve been doing all day?”

All Johnny had was white t-shirts. It was as if he bought the same shirt a hundred times. V-neck after v-neck after v-neck. After throwing two more shirts on the bed, he ventured two drawers to the right and picked up a pair of jeans.

“Picking out my outfit, mom?” Johnny quipped.

“Someone has do.” Peter looked over his shoulder. “Can’t lay there forever.”

“You know-“ Johnny said, cutting him off, “The whole Johnny/Peter thing is dying down a little. People are mostly on our side I think.”

A pair of black jeans would have to do.

“And what other side is there to be on?”

“The side that doesn’t like boys holding hands.”

“Noted.” Turning around, Peter placed the jeans on the bed and debated which t shirt would go best with an awkward two hour dinner.

“Hey.” Suddenly Johnny’s voice was an octave lower, almost whispering, and he reached out and placed his hand on Peter’s arm. “You know I’m sorry, for the picture and the news segments and all that.

Peter’s expression softened. “It’s not your fault. It was whoever took that stupid picture. And Ned’s too I guess.”

“You’re okay though?” Johnny asked.

Peter shrugged. “Other than a few frustrating phone calls with my friends, I’d say I’m doing alright.”

“Ned was giving you trouble?”

He shook his head. “Few distant friends. Names are Gwen and Harry.”

Johnny leaned forward. “You haven’t mentioned them.”

“Probably-“,Peter tossed the pair of black jeans and a t-shirt at Johnny’s chest, “Because I haven’t had the chance to.”

“They go to Mid-Town?”

“They moved away before we started high school.”

Johnny nodded.

“Well what about you? You got any friends?” Peter leaned against the dresser.

Johnny furrowed his eyebrow and looked at the clothes bundled up in his hands. “I don’t think so.”

“That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all day. You know how many people follow you around each day?”

“But they aren’t really my friends. They’re annoying and each one of them thinks the sun shines out of their asses. But- I mean, you’re my friend.”

“I’m your boyfriend.” The words felt unfamiliar as they tumbled out of his mouth.

Johnny jumped out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. “You do realize that the word friend is half of the word boyfriend?” The door slammed shut and Peter was left standing there.

The temptation to get on his knees and pray that tonight would go well was unbearable.

Peter pocketed his phone and went to stand by the door, foot tapping anxiously and stomach churning. Seriously- how long did it take for someone to get dressed?

He knocked on the door. “What are you doing?”

“Reciting the whole Declaration of Independence.”

Peter rolled his eyes so hard he had feared they would roll into the back of his head. _He_ was supposed to be the sarcastic one. But after today it was apparent that he had met his match.

The door swung open, “I was putting on the clothes you wanted.” Johnny waved his arm around his appearance. “If I were up to me, I would’ve worn the shirt that says ‘Bad’ in big font across the chest.”

“Jesus.” Peter covered his face with his hands.

“The whole outfit is really put together when the bright blue jeans and the cowboy boots come into play.” Johnny wrapped his fingers around Peter’s wrist and led him out of the room.

“Please tell me you’re telling a joke.”

“I actually look surprisingly good. Well- not surprisingly- I look good in everything.” Johnny said.

“This whole bravado swagger thing was cute at first.” Peter whispered.

“I heard that!”

****

“Earth to Peter.”

They were only seconds away from Peter’s apartment building but Peter’s feet had been hurting as soon as they left. Johnny had - three cars? More than that? But oh, it was such a nice day! It’s not that far right?! Let’s walk!

And of course Peter was playing out the worst scenarios in his head over and over until it felt as if his brain would burn to a crisp.

And God- it’s not like any of that would ever happen in a billion years. But what IF a giant meteorite crashed into the kitchen. And what IF May disliked him and got out her baseball bat. And what IF those two agents showed up and kidnapped Peter and gassed Johnny and May.

“Just around the corner.” Peter said.

His apartment building wasn’t anything special. It looked identical to every other building in New York. Even when he was younger, he always mixed up where they had lived. Every other week he walked into what he thought was home, ran up two flights of stairs, and then realized home was on the other side of the street. Eventually he had carved the letter _P_ in the sidewalk so he’d stop getting it mixed up.

Peter’s breathing came in short breaths by now. God, why was he so nervous? Dinner. That was all it was going to be.

He trudged up the stairs and Johnny followed suit. How could Johnny not be nervous? He was the one who was going to be asked a million questions a minute, who was going to have eyes glued to him the entire time.

Maybe he had done it before, meeting family and all that. Though, he always got the vibe that Johnny was the hit it and quit it kind of guy. The guy who didn’t stay to eat breakfast and would jump five stories before he was introduced to a mother or father.

“You sure you’re okay?”

“Absolutely not. But we made it this far.” He knocked on the door.

Not even two seconds later, the door had swung open and his aunt just stood there, beaming. She looked over her shoulder and glanced at Johnny for a split second before putting her hand on Peter’s shoulder and guiding them inside.

His stomach was churning. He was not crazy- her smile most definitely lessened when her eyes landed on Johnny.

She probably did her research. If you type his name into a google search engine, you’d find some pretty nasty stuff. But he wasn’t anything like that around Peter - he was different and anything the press said was bullshit.

Hell- the same newspaper that published all of Johnny’s dating scandals also published an article about the theory that Spider-Man was part of the Illuminati. The Illuminati for Christ sakes ! The paper hadn’t even been out for a week before everyone in the city was convinced that Spider-Man was some lizard person that shared the people’s secrets with the government. That was a hell of a week for him. But the news always dies down- and the next week everyone moved on from the Spider-Man - government- lizard theory and occupied their minds with the rumor that the hulk had joined a metal band and was living in Kentucky.

“Sit down- please.” Said Aunt May, bringing him back to reality and focusing on the situation at hand.

He scanned the room and to his enjoyment- there were no Baby books in sight. The TV was muted but it seemed that before they had arrived she had been watching a spanish drama.

“I’m sorry Pete, I didn’t really have time to make anything so I just ordered takeout.”

Anything was better than what she would have had prepared.

Johnny had sat down opposite of Peter, raising his eyebrows at him and mouthing something he didn’t understand.

“So-Johnny,” She set down a bag of carry out in the middle of the table, “How’d this whole thing start, hm?”

She hadn’t even sat down and the questions were starting. Fantastic.

“It’s a bit hard to explain.” He laughed and that was when Peter wanted to jump up as high as he could and fist bump the air. There it was- nervous laughter. He would have never known that someone being scared could have brought him such joy.

“We have all night.” May deadpanned.

“I well-“. She sat down and untied the plastic bag. Johnny wetted his lips. “Peter was chosen to show me around school. And- he’s peter so- I don’t know, I started to like him.”

Peter murmured a thank you when she placed his favorite Chinese take out on his plate. It looked delicious. It was a little joint a few blocks down that they had went to every Thursday, even when his Uncle was still around. It had used to be a pizza place, but a few months following his Uncle’s death, it was up for lease, and it was transformed into an Asian diner. It stung when Peter saw the new sign up- it was like every memory he had with his Uncle was being taken away from him. And then after a few weeks of suspiciously eyeing the place- he took a deep breath and went inside. He didn’t even order anything good. He was so close to having a break down that he pointed to some kind of vegetable soup that was on the menu and then made a run for it.

Peter stared at his plate.

“Okay.” She lifted a bottle of water to her lips. “And then you asked him out.”

“Hey- how do you know it wasn’t _me_ who asked _him_?” Peter asked.

And then she laughed in his face.

He scowled and slumped down in his chair.

“Yes.”

“And Peter is your first boyfriend.”

“Yes.”

“But certainly not your first relationship.”

“Er-no.”

Peter had noted that Aunt May would not look at him. Her eyes were set on Johnny- as if she thought if she looked away from him, he’d be gone. He could see that Johnny was growing more and more uneasy as she glared. Jesus fuck.

The food in front of Johnny and Peter remained untouched. His aunt however, shoved a forkful of rice into her mouth, seemingly unbothered by the uneasy atmosphere that _she_ was responsible for.

“I just- can I get this out of the way?” She dropped her fork. “I’m his Aunt. And when he says he’s bringing a boy home for me to meet- I have to do my research. And so I did. And the things that I just read about you- why would I even want you looking at Peter?”

“May!” Peter snapped.

Far more worse than a meteorite.

“If you’d like to enlightenment me- I don’t know, give me a synopsis of what you read. I’m sure I could clear things up.” Johnny said, and he sounded surprisingly calm.

“Just answer yes or no- is that okay?” She asked.

Johnny nodded.

Peter wanted to disappear.

“You have- or had- on average- five hook ups a week.”

“Yes.”

“You- were an asshole to most of these girls.”

He was no longer making eye contact. “Yes.”

“They were never serious.”

“Yes.”

“And you didn’t tell them that.”

“Yes.”

“You’re a player.”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to do the same thing with Peter?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Are you-“

“Listen.” Johnny said. “You don’t like me. I get that. But I’d never- I wouldn’t do anything like that to Peter. I admit, I’ve been-“ He paused. “A huge dick. But- really, I’m trying to change. Peter, he’s my first boyfriend. He’s different. I care about him. And I’m sorry for being an asshole to those girls. But- I’m really trying.”

She didn’t say anything for awhile. All she seemed to do was stare and analyze Johnny.

Peter had read the stories. The one with a girl named Allison was all over Twitter. He had yelled in her face, told her to leave him alone and to stop being desperate. That was when they were overseas. And for the life of him- Peter wanted to hate him. No one should treat anyone in such a manner. But then hours later, Johnny had met up with the girl again, bought her a coffee, and sat with her from 6:00PM to 11:00PM. Of course it wasn’t to hook up, it seemed that he had wanted to apologize.

But Johnny was someone Peter still couldn’t figure out. It was like there was two sides to him; the side that yelled at Peter in front of everyone in the hallway, and the side that was too nervous to ask him out.

He was different, but he knew there was something absolutely _good_ about him.

So you couldn’t exactly pick Johnny apart and make a final decision about his character. Because yes, he ignored a girl who desperately wanted answers one time for months, but then another time he almost died while saving an old women and her three shitzu’s.

“I see.” Is all his Aunt said before she took a deep breath, turned to smile at her nephew, and then changing the topic completely.

“So what are you planning on doing after high school?”

Peter found out a lot of new things about Johnny over the course of the night.

Johnny liked fixing cars, he liked to cook for his sister (only on special occasions), and he wanted to try and maybe go to college.

“But I don’t think I’m smart enough.”

“Don’t say that.” Peter scolded.

Johnny didn’t dwell on the topic any longer.

The second half of the dinner was filled mostly with Aunt May asking about his future, what it was like being a superhero, and how he was going to pay the bills one day when he decided to settle down and stuff the blue suit away.

Johnny didn’t have many definitive answers. He was more of a “We’ll see what happens” type of person, something Peter’s aunt had disliked.

And by the end of the night, their plates were cleaned and Aunt May seemed to dislike Johnny a little less.

As she picked up the empty plates she glanced over her shoulder and asked, “So, what are the rest of your plans for tonight anyway?”

“I don’t know i-“

“You can hang out in your room if you want. But leave the door cracked. Got it?”

Peter nodded and grabbed Johnny’s hand, the sense of relief almost overwhelming when he pushed his bedroom door open and fell backwards onto his bed.

“Johnny!”

They both looked toward the door.

“Can you come here for a second?”

Johnny looked at Peter with panic in his eyes.

“Go!” Peter whispered.

As soon as Johnny opened and then closed the door behind him, Peter sprung up and pressed his ear to the door.

“Yes?”

There was a long pause.

“Please listen to me when I say Peter is a delicate boy.” Peter furrowed his brow.

“He has been hurt more times than I can count. His parents and his uncle and-“, she cut herself off, “You do not hurt him, you understand me? He isn’t- he’s not as strong as you think.”

His heart twinged. Okay- that part hurt.

“I don’t know if he’s ever doing alright.”

His fingers twitched.

“And- I don’t think he could handle it if you made even one small dick move.”

His skin started to itch.

“If you hurt him- I’ll beat the shit out of you. That’s a promise.”

Johnny didn’t say a word.

Footsteps and then a door was slammed shut.

More footsteps and Peter jumped back onto his bed.

Johnny entered his bedroom for the second time the night and simply looked at him.

“I think she loves me.” He stated.

Peter broke into a smile. “For sure. I bet she’s in her bedroom right now, looking up the best locations to have a gay marriage and printing out invitations for the Storm-Parker wedding.”

Johnny threw his head back and laughed. And then silence filled the room as Johnny crawled into the bed next to him and kissed Peter’s forehead as soft as he could.

Peter bit his tongue.

“I’m not weak. She’s just- she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

“Peter-“

“And I don’t want you treating me like I’m this delicate little thing she’s making me out to be. I’m okay. I’m happy. I’m capable of handling whatever life throws my way.”

Which was true. The thing was that- okay, so maybe his Aunt had a point to what she was saying. But even if it made sense, he did NOT want his aunt going around saying that Peter was weak. Or let Johnny know that he was vulnerable and had his moments- and one of those moments was going to be right that second, trying to explain himself while Johnny’s hand dipped underneath his shirt and gently rubbed at his waist.

“Hey- I’m not gonna treat you any different. I promise you that.”

Peter nodded. Johnny’s breath hitched.

“Could you just- try and explain what she meant though? If you’re not- what she’s saying you are, why would she even say it?”

“I’ve been through- I guess a decent amount of stuff. And she’s scared. I’m fine though I-“

“You can tell me anything. I don’t care if you’re strong or if you’re weak or whatever. Don’t put on some act. You need to- to talk about stuff.”

Peter focused on the hem of Johnny’s shirt.

“Just- tell me what’s on your mind.”

Peter took a deep breath. He’d- he had never said it out loud. Ever. And it’s not like he wanted to tell him, or anyone for that matter. It was one of his biggest secrets and he was content ( that was a lie ) at keeping it inside his mind. But- Johnny would keep quiet right? He’d understand.

“I’m-“ Johnny seemed to lean forward.

“I’m scared.” And peter fucking hated the way he sounded, how the fear in his voice was evident and how Johnny could probably feel the way his body was frozen against his.

Johnny had looked confused.

With a shaky breath Peter said, “I’m happy. But- it’s every now and then that I’m just really really tired. And I don’t really like talking about it because I feel like-“

“I still think about things that aren’t important anymore. That’s happened so long ago and I’ve- I haven’t even talked about it with May. Not since i was younger.”

“You can tell me.” Johnny’s hand pressed into the side of Peter’s face.

Peter took a minute. Because hell- he never wanted to say it out loud. It hurt. The only time he had to say it was five years ago, when he was sitting on a comfy plum colored couch while a middle aged man chewed the cap of his pen between his teeth.

The words tasted like metal in his mouth- and as soon as he said it, he cried and said it was my fault.

It made Peter angry that it still bothered him. It was five fucking years ago. That was enough time to get over it. Yes, it didn’t occupy his mind all the time. But sometimes he still had nightmares about it, and sometimes when he passed by that library, bile rose up in his throat.

“I was ten.” Something flashed across Johnny’s face.

“And- I met this guy. He was seventeen and he was nice to me. He sat next to me at the library and he actually wanted to talk to me. When I was little, I had basically no friends. I had these- big glasses and I wore sweater vests daily.” He let himself laugh. “And he- he became my best friend. I guess I should have noticed something off. What seventeen year old wanted to hang out with a ten year old?” Peter shifted and he hid his face in the crook of Johnny’s neck.

“Anyway, he was _nice_. He bought me a book once, he walked me home. His parents were never around- I never met them. And he- he was teaching me how to play pool.”

“He- put his hand on my back and showed me fucking porn on his phone. I was _really_ confused. I thought we were just hanging out. And-“

“He asked me that I needed to stop thinking. And he knew how to help me. He threw his phone on the bed and grabbed me. And after about two hours-“, A shaky breath, “He kinda just threw me aside and stood up. I watched him grab his backpack and he walked out of the room. I didn’t quite understand what had happened. It hurt, and that’s about all I knew. I cried on his floor for an hour before I managed to stand up, pull up my pants, and run out of the room.”

“You don’t have to-“ Johnny’s voice cracked.

“When I got home I said nothing. I smiled at my Aunt and Uncle, and I went to my room. I thought they were gonna get angry at me. I really thought I was gonna get in trouble and they were going to be disgusted with me. And it was a couple days later before I told them. They called the police. The guy- Steven- left town with his dad’s car that same day. And I don’t know, I guess he’s out there. I’ve- I could probably find out what he’s up to now. He probably has Facebook and Twitter because who gives a shit about a five year old rape case. And- I went to therapy for a while. And that was it. But I still think about it. And I feel like- well , what if it _was_ my fa-“

“It wasn’t. Hey, look at me. Please.”

Peter’s heart was racing. He didn’t want to. He didn’t want to see the pity in his eyes. The worst thing in the world was seeing someone feel sorry for him.

How could trying to meet someone’s eyes feel so exhausting? His thighs were shaking- he had never felt so vulnerable.

His eyes flickered upwards; his chest tightened.

“ _It was not your fault. You shouldn’t feel bad for still thinking about it, and I think you’re pretty fuckin’ brave for talking about it_.”

And Johnny’s arms wound around his body and he was kissing the top of his head. “It’s okay.”

His eyes stayed bloodshot for awhile. And they stayed in that same position for as long as they could until Peter started sweating.

“You’re a human furnace.” He whispered.

“You wear contacts?” He asked back.

They were both whispering. And for no in particular reason besides the fact that they felt as if they used their regular voices, something was going to break and everything would be gone.

Peter finally looked up and noticed that Johnny had his glasses between his fingers.

“They’re not prescription. They’re kinda like a comfort thing. I don’t wear them anymore though, that’s my eighth pair. Flash kept breaking em.”

Johnny nudged Peter off of him and sat up, “C’mere.”

Cleaning the lenses with his shirt, he held them up to the light to make sure the smudges were all gone. Johnny leaned forward and placed them on Peter’s face.

“You’re gonna start wearing them again.”

“I can’t afford to keep buying them, Johnny.”

“You’re not gonna have to.” He pulled out his phone. “If Flash stands even three feet away from you I’ll set his backpack on fire.”

“You’ll get suspended.” Peter pointed out.

“It’d be for a good reason though.” Johnny murmured. Holding up his phone, he snapped a quick picture before Peter had the chance to hide behind his hands.

“You look adorable.” He snickered.

“Let me grab my camera.” Peter almost cringed at how excited he sounded.

When Peter kept taking picture after picture of Johnny doing stupid poses, there was something different. The air felt so much lighter and the tension in Johnny’s shoulders couldn’t be seen.

His heart jumped in his chest when he realized that- it would be so easy to fall in love with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are what really inspire me to write so I’d much appreciate if you guys left feedback. I also really want to do a spideytorch figure skate AU but idk if I would ever get around to it? Tell me what y’all think. Also why isn’t there any peter parker figure skating fan art smh. MAKE IT HAPPEN! A shameless plug but my instagram is joshscrotch lmao


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